# Can the BLT (sandwich) be improved upon? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [December 6, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412 "2020-12-06T22:34:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/1 "2020-12-06T22:34:58Z")
I love BLTs. I know it’s not very healthy, but I make one for lunch or dinner once every couple of weeks or so. For most recipes, I tweak something or other – add onions or garlic, change the seasoning, add bacon, etc. But I don’t think the BLT can be improved upon. Maybe adding avocado – but I’m not sure if that improves it – it just makes a different but equally delicious sandwich. As long as the bread is high quality, and the tomatoes are high quality, then I’m not sure if there’s anything that can be done to make a BLT better. Any disagreement? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/2 "2020-12-06T22:38:34Z")
Well, you can lose the L, and the T, and add more B. And lose the bread. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/3 "2020-12-06T22:39:12Z")
Try just the BT without the L. Not saying it’s better, but a completely different taste, and perhaps a worthy equal. I like Mayo on both. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/4 "2020-12-06T22:40:01Z")
I make mine with three slices of toast. I don 't know if that’s standard, but I like the heft. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/5 "2020-12-06T22:50:39Z")
I can’t stand mayonnaise, so lose that. Makes it 5000% better right there. But, adding cheese, and toasting is quite good. The “traditional” way is to build the sandwich and then cook it in a pan. I like to use a broiler to toast my bread, then melt the cheese, then build my sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/6 "2020-12-06T22:52:41Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I make mine with three slices of toast. I don 't know if that’s standard, but I like the heft. Right. Otherwise it’s barely a sandwich. Lettuce, Mayo, tomato and bacon are all basically condiments. Those are things you ‘add’ to a sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/7 "2020-12-06T22:52:53Z")
It absolutely can be improved upon by adding sliced grilled chicken breast that has been lovingly marinated, rubbed with Texan chicken spice, and grilled to juicy browned perfection on an outdoor grill. Of course in that case, it’s really a “chicken sandwich”, but when made with the above grilled chicken, bacon, romaine lettuce, sliced tomato, and mayo on a toasted bun, it’s perfection! ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/8 "2020-12-06T23:11:52Z")
I take two slices of bacon and cut each in half. With the four pieces I weave them together before cooking. This results in a bacon raft on my BLT. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/9 "2020-12-06T23:14:46Z")
How about the BELT? Add in a perfectly fried egg. Next level. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/10 "2020-12-06T23:18:12Z")
Seconded! The addition of a fried egg makes it the perfect breakfast sandwich, but also good all day really. ---
**Author:** ![Tarataratara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tarataratara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarataratara)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/11 "2020-12-06T23:19:54Z")
Toast the bread and cut the sandwich into four little triangles. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/12 "2020-12-06T23:22:32Z")
I guess I’m somewhat of a purist. The way I see it, the moment you change or add almost anything besides condiments, it pretty much becomes a “[something else] sandwich, with bacon.” If you’re going to call it a BLT, the main focus should be the bacon. Adding other proteins tends to make the bacon ancillary. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/13 "2020-12-06T23:23:45Z")
I have never has a BLT that wasn’t on toasted bread. Who are these people? Four triangle sounds good, as only two can be messy to handle. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/14 "2020-12-06T23:26:19Z")
I preach it like a religion: Kraft Sandwich Spread. It’s also good with fish in lieu of tartar sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/15 "2020-12-06T23:43:40Z")
> [@Tarataratara](#): > > Toast the bread and cut the sandwich into four little triangles. I thought that is what we were talking about. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/16 "2020-12-07T00:48:32Z")
How necessary is the mayonnaise? I ask this because I can’t eat mayo so all the BLTs I’ve eaten in my life may have not been “real” BLTs. That said, I do like to add Tabasco, Sriracha, or some other type of hot sauce to my BLTs. I find the smokey saltiness of the bacon and the sauce’s hotness nicely compliment one another. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/17 "2020-12-07T01:02:25Z")
BLT on toast spread with Hellman’s mayo. Good enough, better is adding onion slice, cheese slice I like Gouda,pepper jack or havarti. Sometimes instead of mayo I’ll use cream cheese or pimento cheese spread. Iceberg is ok, romaine or mixed greens too but even better are micro greens or sprouts. Bacon style I like thin sliced instead of thick, it’s less chewy. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/18 "2020-12-07T01:06:28Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > If you’re going to call it a BLT, the main focus should be the bacon. No, bacon’s good, but the PRIMARY focus is the tomato. For me, I usually end up just making BTs, because I don’t generally keep L around the kitchen (I don’t use it often enough, for how long it lasts). But a couple of times this summer, I picked up some fresh arugula from the farmers’ market, and used that instead. I think that was an improvement. Oh, and I don’t generally make mine using toast. I use fried slice: When the bacon’s almost done, I shift it over to one side of the pan, and fry the bread in the grease. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/19 "2020-12-07T01:17:55Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > > [@DCnDC](#): > > > > If you’re going to call it a BLT, the main focus should be the bacon. > > No, bacon’s good, but the PRIMARY focus is the tomato. I could see how that would be true with a flavorful garden tomato, but not with the things they call tomatoes at the grocery store. They are strictly condiments that make the other items in any sandwich taste better. With bacon, they cut the grease and salt somewhat, and give this umami/fat boost with mayo if you include that–the same one that all those Thousand Island “special sauces” add without being so sweet. ---
**Author:** ![Mortimus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mortimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mortimus)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412/20 "2020-12-07T01:23:34Z")
The real key is the bacon. There’s a local meat shop that makes their own bacon, apparently only when they feel like it. Each bacon slice is roughly the size of a hamburger and about 1/4 inch thick. They aren’t fatty so they don’t cook down to nothing like most store-bought bacon. Combine that bacon with some home-grown tomatoes and leaf lettuce. Put all that on a couple slabs of home-made bread toast, add some Miracle Whip and you have nirvana to shove into your pie hole. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-blt-sandwich-be-improved-upon/927412.md?page=2)