Tomorrow is International Bacon Day: Here’s how to make it count
Our guide to the ultimate bacon sandwich
If you think that you couldn’t get more excited for the weekend, you might want to sit down. For tomorrow, Saturday 3rd September, is a day reserved around the world for the celebration of one of the best foods known to man. The king of breakfast: The crispiest, streakiest, smokiest meat you could ever imagine – please be upstanding for International Bacon Day.
But how should you be celebrating? Uncertain what tribute you should be cooking up to show your appreciation for the best breakfast around? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back (and your streaky and side) and have compiled a foolproof bacon sandwich-making guide to ensure you celebrate in succulent, scrumptious style.
The quality of your building blocks will determine the quality of your finished sandwich. And whilst your choices of bread, bacon, butter and sauce come down to personal preference to an extent, we believe that there is definitely are definitely a couple of superior combinations.
Let’s start with bread. Whilst you can’t go wrong with a fluffy white roll, thickly sliced sourdough – provided you grill it – is one of the best breakfast choices you can make. With its hard crust and tangy taste, your bacon will be in safe, flavour-complementing hands.
Your butter should be room temperature – soft and salted. Don’t trust people who get out the mayonnaise. And when it comes to sauce, brown is best – specifically a fruity brown sauce such as Tiptree’s Brown Sauce.
Now, the main attraction. The bacon is, quite literally, the meat of the sandwich and thus it must be done right. Streaky is good, but you want thickly sliced back bacon for the best sandwich. Smoked works better for flavour, dry-cured for texture and always go British – we’d suggest Denhay bacon from the West Country.
Take your butter out of the fridge in good time and slice your bread if you’re using a loaf. People are divided over whether grilling or frying is the best way to cook bacon, but we like to compromise and use a griddle pan. Pour a little oil into the bottom of the pan, and let it heat up.
Lay four strips of bacon on the griddle and cook – without moving – until the fat starts to crisp and turn golden. Then turn over. At this point, take your slices of bread and lightly grill them – attempt to get a crunchy texture without any colour change. Spread with butter hot off the grill, and then lay your bacon carefully on the bread – without dabbing off any excess grease.
Get three to four good dollops of sauce on your bacon, and then seal your sandwich shut. Give it a gentle press so the bread absorbs a little of the grease and then cut diagonally. Serve immediately and, whilst savouring, remember all International Bacon Days past, and look ahead to those salty, smokey, sweet celebrations to come.
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