The Ultimate BLTA Sandwich

BLTA sandwich

There is a standard BLT, and then there is this ultimate BLTA sandwich. The undisputed star of the show here is Coleman’s Steak Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon. At a whopping 3/8-inch thick, this isn't your average grocery store bacon—it’s essentially a bacon steak. Because it’s so thick, rushing it over high heat is a cardinal sin; you’ll end up with a burnt exterior and a chewy, undercooked center. By cooking it low and slow in a frying pan, the applewood-smoked fat renders down flawlessly, yielding a chop-house-style crunch on the outside while keeping the inside melt-in-your-mouth tender. Layered on fresh bakery sourdough with juicy beefsteak tomatoes and rich avocado, this is the ultimate sandwich experience.

SERVINGS
2
PREP TIME
10 min
COOK TIME
15-20 min

INGREDIENTS

  • 4-6 slices Coleman’s Steak Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon
  • 4 thick slices of fresh sourdough bread (straight from the bakery)
  • 1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced thick
  • 1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced
  • 4-6 leaves of crisp lettuce (such as butter lettuce or romaine)
  • 3-4 tbsp quality mayonnaise
  • Coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place your cold frying pan on the stovetop and lay the Coleman’s Steak Cut Bacon slices inside in a single layer. Starting in a cold pan helps the thick fat render more evenly. Turn the heat to medium-low. Cook the bacon slowly, resisting the urge to crank up the heat. Flip the slices every few minutes. Because these are 3/8" thick, they will take about 15–20 minutes to cook through perfectly.
  2. Once the bacon is deeply golden-brown and crispy on the edges but still structurally tender in the middle, remove it from the pan and let it drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Save that liquid gold (bacon fat) in the pan!
  3. Keep the frying pan on medium heat with a light coating of the leftover bacon fat. Place your fresh sourdough slices directly into the pan. Toast for 1–2 minutes per side until the bread is golden-brown and has soaked up that smoky applewood bacon flavor. Remove and set aside.
  4. Slice your beefsteak tomato into thick wheels. Lay the slices on a paper towel and hit them with a pinch of coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper. Salting the tomatoes pulls out excess moisture and amplifies their homegrown flavor.
  5. The order matters here to keep the bread from getting soggy and to ensure every bite is structurally sound.
    The Base: Spread a generous layer of mayonnaise on one side of all four toasted sourdough slices.
    Layer 1 (The Moisture Barrier): Place a leaf or two of crisp lettuce on the bottom slices of bread.
    Layer 2 (The Juicy Core): Stack your seasoned beefsteak tomato slices on top of the lettuce.
    Layer 3 (The Star Element): Layer the warm, thick-cut Coleman’s bacon over the tomatoes.
    Layer 4 (The Crunch): Add another layer of lettuce on top of the bacon. (This holds the bacon in place and separates it from the avocado).
    Layer 5 (The Creaminess): Fan out your fresh avocado slices directly over that second layer of lettuce.
    The Crown: Top with the remaining slices of sourdough, press down gently, and slice diagonally with a sharp serrated knife.

Find this recipe at:

https://colemannatural.com/kitchen/the-ultimate-blta-sandwich/