Peppered honey BLT with avocado
This peppered honey BLT takes the classic bacon sandwich and adds sticky, sweet and spicy bacon plus creamy mashed avocado. Salted tomatoes taste more like tomato. Crisp lettuce and toasted bread hold it all together. It is a 20 minute lunch with plenty of crunch.
- 20 minTotal time
- 2Servings
- 620kcal / serving
- 22 gProtein
The science: why this works
Starting bacon in a cold pan
A cold pan heats the bacon slowly, which gives the fat time to melt out before the meat crisps. The result is even, crunchy strips instead of chewy ones with burnt edges. Pour off most of the fat before adding the honey.
Learn: Fat carries flavor →Why the honey glaze goes on low
Honey is mostly sugar, which burns fast over high heat. Turning the heat to low lets it melt and coat the bacon in 30 seconds without scorching. Cooling it on a plate sets the glaze into a sticky shell.
Learn: Caramelize sugar without burning →Salt makes tomatoes taste more tomatoey
Salt pulls a little water from the tomato and sharpens its natural sweetness and acidity. A pinch on each slice makes it taste riper, even in a mediocre tomato. This also seasons the sandwich from the inside.
Learn: Ripe tomatoes and the fridge →Peppered honey BLT with avocado
20 minutes · 2 servings · American · Sandwich
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings
- 6 slicesbacon
- 1 tbsphoney
- 4 slicesbread
- 2tomatoes, sliced
- 4lettuce leaves
- 1avocado
- 2 tbspmayonnaise
- ½lemon
- Salt
- Black pepper
Method
Tips for the best result
- Use thick-cut tomato slices from a tomato kept at room temperature, never the fridge.
- Add the lemon to the avocado right away so it stays green.
- Toast the bread well so it can hold the juicy tomato without going soft.
Swaps
- Swap the honey for maple syrup for a deeper, woodsy sweetness.
- Swap the bacon for smoked tempeh strips for a vegetarian version.
- Swap the lemon on the avocado for lime juice for a slightly sharper taste.
Storing and reheating
Cooked glazed bacon keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat it in a pan until hot, to 165°F (74°C). Build the sandwich fresh, since tomato and avocado do not store well assembled.
Peppered honey BLT with avocado: questions
How do you make bacon crispy without burning it?
Start the bacon in a cold pan over medium heat so the fat renders slowly. Turn it now and then for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp. Draining most of the fat keeps it from frying too hard.
How do you keep avocado from turning brown?
Mix it with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice right after mashing. The acid slows the browning reaction. Press plastic wrap on the surface if you need to store it briefly.
Should tomatoes go in the fridge?
No, whole ripe tomatoes taste better kept at room temperature. Cold dulls their flavor compounds and can turn the flesh mealy. Only refrigerate them once they are cut.
