How to toast bread for the crispiest BLT
According to Bon Appétit, one of the best ways to enhance a BLT is to fry the bread with mayonnaise.
A BLT may seem simple, but the bread can be more important than the bacon, lettuce, or tomato for achieving a crunchy bite. Any type of bread can be used, whether it's white, whole wheat, sourdough, rye, ciabatta, or an Italian roll.
The key is how you prepare the bread before adding the rest. According to Bon Appétit, it's best to spread mayonnaise on both sides of the slices and fry them over medium heat, rather than toasting them, for a crispier BLT. Keep an eye on the bread to make sure it doesn't get too toasted, because nobody wants to scrape off burnt crumbs.
For extra crispiness, bacon can be cooked in the oven instead of a pan, resulting in more even cooking. Additionally, according to The New York Times, it's best to arrange the slices irregularly, rather than in a perfectly straight line, so that each bite retains its texture.
The lettuce also plays a role. Although it has a bad reputation, iceberg lettuce is crunchy enough to pair with bacon and toast, and many BLT recipes recommend it for that texture, according to Simply Delicious. Other lettuces have a softer texture and contribute less crunch.
