The candied bacon adds the “oh my” to this BLT. 

Makes 4 servings (Chef Joseph notes that, for him, it makes 2)

1⁄2 cup light brown sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound thick-cut bacon (grass-fed is best, farmers’ market bacon is often thick-cut, or ask your butcher)
1 romaine lettuce heart, cut to size of the bread
2 plum tomatoes, sliced into rounds Mayo, to taste
8 slices bread of choice

Preheat oven to 325°. Mix brown sugar and black pepper (shaking it up in a sealed bag is easy and fast). Pour mixture on at surface and dip the bacon, strip by strip, into the mix. Line the bacon strips on rack-lined baking sheet, or any type of sheet tray. Bake until slightly crisp for about 35 minutes. The bacon will crisp up more after being pulled from oven.

Toast bread and spread a generous amount of mayo on both slices of bread. Place lettuce and tomato on one slice, add the candied bacon. Top with other slice of bread. Chef ’s tip: Cut the sandwich diagonally and serve with the inside of the sandwich facing out.

Feeling crazy? At the Shakin Bacon, cheese, roasted red peppers or jalapeños are occasionally added.

The Shakin Bacon is at 138 Broadway in Rensselaer. TheShakinBacon.com