Authentic BLT

A balance between crispy grilled pork belly, fresh lettuce, and juicy tomato. Toasted bread provides the structure needed for this American icon.

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 895
• Protein: 31 g
• Carbs: 78 g
• Fat: 51 g

Ingredients

• 8 piece White bread ( sliced )
• 400 g Smoked cured pork belly ( thinly sliced )
• 4 piece Vine tomato ( sliced )
• 8 piece Butterhead lettuce ( whole leaves )
• 8 tbsp Japanese mayo ( at room temperature )
• 4 pinch Fleur de sel
• 4 pinch Black pepper ground

Instructions

1. Grill the pork belly

   Place the pork belly slices in a cold pan and turn up the heat. Let the fat render and the meat color until it is stiff and brittle. Drain on a paper towel.

2. Prepare the garnish

   Slice the tomato into 5mm thick rounds. Lightly salt them with sea salt to bring out the juices. Wash and dry the lettuce leaves so they stay very crisp.

3. Toast the bread

   Put the white bread slices in the toaster or under the oven grill. They should be golden brown and firm to the touch, without burning.

4. Final assembly

   Generously spread one side of each bread slice with mayonnaise. Layer the lettuce, then the tomato slices, and finally the bacon. Close and press lightly.

Chef's tips

• Bacon should be cooked starting from a cold pan so the fat has time to render without burning the meat.
• Don't skip the salt on the tomatoes; it's what wakes up their flavor.
• Use a serrated knife to cut the sandwich in half without crushing the toasted bread.

Storage

Consume immediately. The bread softens quickly when in contact with the tomato juice.