Ask Cheryl: What is the best bread for a BLT?

If you’ve been to a farmers’ market, or even your local grocery store produce aisle, there’s no denying a simple culinary fact: BLT season has arrived. Juicy tomatoes, in all of their vibrant, multi-colored glory, are everywhere, beckoning to enjoy them in simple forms that showcase their perfection this time of year, whether that’s in a simple Caprese salad, a tomato tart, or just sliced and salted.

To many gourmands, the BLT is the quintessential way to enjoy peak-of-season tomatoes, thanks to its simplicity and ability to hit every note you want in a dish. And while tomatoes are undeniably the showpiece, their canvas is a crucial element. Opinions abound on lettuce (crisp, cold iceberg for the win), bacon (not crazy thick and crisped just a bit longer than if you were enjoying it for breakfast), and mayo (Duke’s, in my humble opinion).

When it comes to bread, folks are equally split, though there appears to be a consensus that airy and light is preferred. In my household, Japanese milk bread from Kim’s Bakery is the king of BLT breads. I like the way it crisps up when toasted, but it’s fluffy and airy enough that it doesn’t get too abrasive on the roof of the mouth.

Here’s what some local chefs and SLM contributors had to say about their BLT bread of choice:

Gerard Craft, Niche Food Group: “Honestly, I love Pepperidge Farm thin-sliced white bread for a classic BLT, but for a slightly messy but exceptional BLT, the semolina bread from Union Loafers, cut thin, toasted, and rubbed with a little garlic is a home run. [Either way,] it has to have a lot of mayo.”

Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box and Telva at the Ridge: “Oh man, I love BLTs. The best bread is fresh bread, but if I had to narrow it down, white bread. Or I like it in a croissant, in ciabatta, in a bahn mi baguette, in somun, in sourdough, in a biscuit. Girl!”

Simone Faure, La Patisserie Chouquette: “Listen, if it ain’t on Japanese milk, bread, or some variety of it, you can keep it!”

Byron Kerman, SLM: “BLTs need white, toasted bread as much as they need plenty of mayo. Both are critical, in my humble opinion. A club sandwich, incidentally, is just the same. 

George Mahe, SLM: “My bread of choice is the medium-weight sourdough from Izzio Artisan Bakery, either the San Francisco- or Italian-style (both available at Schnucks). Lightly toasted and with both pieces mayo’ed, it holds up to as much bacon, lettuce, and thick-cut heirloom tomatoes as you throw at it, and the double mayo keeps any wayward juices from infiltrating the bread.”

Follow Cheryl on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, the Arch Eats podcast, or send her an “Ask Cheryl” email at [email protected]. For more from SLM, sign up for newsletters, or follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Recipe: How to make the perfect BLT

Less a specific formula with measurements and a method, this “recipe” for a BLT is more of a guide to help you have your best summertime sandwich ever. Granted, everyone has their own preferences, but after eating more BLTs than I can count over several decades, I’ve zeroed in on a few preferred ingredient choices that, in my humble opinion, make for the ideal sandwich. Of course, BLTs are an art, not a science, so I encourage you to play around with different components, so you can zero in on your favorite style. In the meantime, you can follow these guidelines from someone who has thought way too much about this matter, for a delicious taste of the season. 

Ingredients:

• Two slices of Japanese milk bread from Kim’s bakery. A BLT’s foundation is important, and there are wildly differing opinions on this important component. Some prefer a heartier bread, like ciabatta, while others swear by sourdough. For me, the ideal BLT bread is something fluffy and airy that crisps up when toasted, but still has just enough substance so that it doesn’t disintegrate. My preference is the wonderful Japanese milk bread from Kim’s Bakery in Creve Coeur. It’s pillow-soft, had the subtlest hint of sweetness and toasts up without getting too hard so that it scrapes the roof of your mouth. 
• Duke’s mayonnaise. I’ve actually been involved in a lengthy text thread dedicated to BLT mayonnaise choice, and I can confidently say that Duke’s is the clear choice of BLT enthusiasts. This beloved condiment—people in the South speak of Duke’s with religious-like fervor—has a luxurious creaminess and just enough tang without going full-blown Miracle Whip-vinegary. Apparently, the reason for this is that Duke’s uses only egg yolks (rather than the whole egg) and apple cider vinegar (rather than white). Note that there is no specific parameter for how much to use. You measure BLT mayo with your heart. 
• Two roughly ⅓-inch thick slices of Cherokee Purple tomatoes. This time of year, it’s pretty much impossible to get the tomato component of a BLT wrong, but if you want to get it A+ right, the Cherokee Purple is the superior BLT tomato. In my experience, it edges out the second runner up, Beefsteak, thanks to its glorious, wine-like sweetness and luscious texture and incredible juiciness. 
• Two leaves of butter lettuce. While I appreciate the crispness of classic iceberg, I like the velvety texture and more delicate taste of butter lettuce. It has to be fresh so that it’s at peak crispness. It just adds an elegance to the BLT that can’t be beat.
• Four slices of applewood smoked bacon sliced no thicker than medium: Try Nueske’s for a national brand or Boylard’s or the Corner Butcher for a local option. The subtle sweetness of applewood smoke pairs beautifully with tomatoes. You won’t go wrong with Wisconsin-based Nueske’s, though it’s fun to try out St. Louis wonderful butcher shops for their own takes on bacon. One note: While thick-cut bacon is often touted as a breakfast staple, I don’t like it on a BLT. I find that a thinner slice crisps up better and is easier to eat. 

Directions:

1. Cook bacon in the oven at 400 degrees on the middle rack. Timing will depend on the bacon’s thickness, but aim for around 12 minutes. (You are going for crispy, not burnt.)
2. Toast bread lightly. You want a golden color that starts to crisp up without crossing over into hard toast territory. On a scale of 1-5, think no more than 3.
3. Generously slather both bread slices with mayonnaise.
4. Place lettuce leaves on both slices of mayonnaise-covered bread. (Note that lettuce placement is important; you are creating a buffer so that the bread does not get soggy from tomato juice). 
5. Place bacon slices on top of lettuce on one side of bread. 
6. Place tomatoes on top of bacon.
7. Stack other side of bread on top of tomatoes, flip over, and slice in half.