Perhaps it has been so long since I posted something because not long after my last post, I ate an awful, awful sandwich, an experience no one should have. The sandwich consisted of some kind of chewy meat slapped between two over-buttered, under-toasted pieces of white bread and topped with poor-quality American and Swiss cheeses. I partook of this atrocity in the fair city of Rantoul. I will not name the establishment to protect the extraordinarily guilty; however, I will say that on the menu, the statement "We're famous for this one" appears. If "famous" means causing the consumer to spend an hour in close proximity to his or her favorite commode, then I applaud the creation's efforts. I do not prescribe to that definition of fame.
I recently produced a recipe of my own on the blog for a relish that is sure to tantalize and delight. Now, I would like to offer a way of utilizing that relish in The Sandwich Guy's Ultimate BLT. As previously stated on these scrumptious pages, the BLT is one of, if not the, finest creations in all of Sandwichdom. The Earl himself would be pleased. That being said there is always room for improvement.
The trick here, as with any BLT, is in the bacon. Bacon is not to be taken lightly, folks. Leave the turkey bacon on the shelves for the turkeys who are seduced by its dry and useless taste. You want thick, hearty bacon. Bacon that sweats grease and fizzes when you cook it. And you want a lot of it.
The finest place to buy bacon, in my opinion, is Rawhide in Danville, IL. In fact, there's few other places to buy excellent meat, though I've heard good things about some other establishments as well. Their bacon is smoked and thick and cooks up like a dream. You want a pound of bacon to create five to six sandwiches (yes, you read that correctly). A good way to cook the bacon, by the way, is to cut it in half and fry it in a cast iron skillet, which holds the heat very well. Cutting it will decrease the overall cooking time as well as allow a more evenly cooked piece of savory meat.
After you've secured the proper bacon, the next selection has to be the bread. Don't underestimate the importance of bread to any sandwich (see previous posts on this matter). I prefer sourdough; however, a good rye bread is also a nice choice. I once used a marble rye (of Seinfeld fame) to create the Ultimate BLT and was pleased with the result. You have to toast the bread, and I suggest doing so with a little butter in a pan. It gives the bread so much more flavor than simply stuffing it into a toaster.
Finally, you need the fixings, which are the standards (lettuce, tomato, onion--if you like) and the all important cheese. For a normal BLT, I select American cheese. However, the Ultimate BLT requires a bit more attention. I go with a nice baby Swiss, which compliments the spread's tartness.
Speaking of the spread: They have a wonderful tradition in California of gracing many of their dishes with avocados, a practice that is extended to the BLT. I like to continue that engagement between avocado and bacon with a spread that also incorporates the pre-mentioned relish. Take an avocado, mayo, and some of the homemade relish and mix them together, gently mashing the avocado. You don't want to take away all of the avocado's chunkiness, just enough to make a creamy spread (think guacamole here). Spread the creation on the toasted bread, stack your fixings and bacon, and have at it. You will find this experience truly worthwhile.
I've fully recovered from my Rantoul excursion and am back on the hunt for the finest sandwiches in the Vermillion County area. As always, share your recipes, share your thoughts, share your sandwiches.
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