Bacon Lettuce Tomato Sandwich (BLT Grilled Spicy)

When I make us BLTs, I don't like to mess with them. I would use white bread and full-fat mayonnaise. I wouldn’t use kale in place of iceberg. Definitely no turkey bacon. A perfect BLT is a pure and delicious thing that I wanted my kids to experience properly, because there a beautiful thing! Grilling the bacon helps stretch the summery vibes into fall, and as a bonus you’ll also save your kitchen from a greasy mess. Thick-cut strips get evenly crisped with a light char at the edges. (Keep the lid closed and vented and the heat relatively low to control flare-ups.) While you’ve got the fire going, grill some bread. Thickly slice a couple of ripe tomatoes. Pile on crisp lettuce and a generous swipe of mayo (we adults love a little Sriracha mixed in). Create what has got to be the highest calling of a summer BLT and serve it with unwavering confidence that not a speck will go uneaten.

½ cup Hallmann's mayonnaise
1½ tsp. Sriracha
1 lb thick cut bacon
8 (½" thick) slices white sandwich or Pullman bread
2 medium beefsteak tomatoes, cut into thick slices
flaky sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
½ head iceberg lettuce, leaves separated

Prepare a grill for medium heat. Stir together mayonnaise and Sriracha in a small bowl. Taste and add as much Sriracha as desired to meet your preferred level of spiciness.

Arrange bacon strips across grate and grill until lightly charred around the edges, 5-7 minutes. (Flare-ups are common, so lower the lid if needed and carefully raise just to check doneness.) Turn bacon over and grill until browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Cooking times can vary significantly based on how thick your bacon is and the heat of your grill. (If you’re grilling bacon for the first time, keep a close eye on it and check often.) Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Arrange bread on grate and grill until toasted, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a cutting board.

Spread Sriracha mayonnaise over 1 side of each slice of bread. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper, then build sandwiches with lettuce on the bottom, tomatoes in the middle, and bacon on top (tear lettuce leaves and cut bacon in half to fit nicely if needed). Close up sandwiches and slice in half on a diagonal.

You can also serve this as a BLT buffet: Arrange toast, bacon, tomatoes, and lettuce on platters with Sriracha mayo and salt and pepper alongside and let everyone make their own.

Makes 4 servings.