The bacon sandwich

Winter

A good bacon sandwich has the potential to change the way we think about the food we eat. Even the smell of bacon sizzling can be enough to weaken our disposition and break us down. Sadly, so much of the bacon that gets slapped between sliced bread isn’t actually that nice, and if it’s cheap it’s unlikely to be ethical. I know a great supplier of free-range, dry-cured bacon and it’s possible to buy it by the piece instead of in rashers. Roasting a whole chunk of bacon over a fire, like I do here, with thyme, rosemary and bay leaves gives it such a wonderful, aromatic, smoky flavour and it stays beautifully moist inside. Bacon cooked like this could easily be carved into thick slices and served with baked jacket potatoes and some fruity chutney — but it will always be hard to resist the sarnie.

Makes 2 serious sandwiches

Ingredients

300–400g (10½–14oz) piece of unsmoked back bacon
4–5 thyme sprigs
2–3 rosemary sprigs
2 bay leaves
4 thick slices of sourdough or good country bread
a knob of butter, softened
freshly ground black pepper
a favourite ketchup or mustard, or both, to serve

Method

If the bacon still has its rind, it’s better to remove it before you start cooking. Using a sharp knife, cut the rind away in one piece. You can keep it in the freezer for the next time you make a stew – there’s lots of flavour in the skin.

Once the fire’s going and you have a nice, even bed of gentle glowing embers, you can start cooking. Lay the bacon down on the grill and cook it, turning regularly, for 15–20 minutes, until crisp and golden. If the fire is too hot, the bacon will burn, so keep an eye on it.

Take a large sheet of foil and fold it in half so it’s not going to tear. Remove the bacon from the grill and set it in the middle of the foil. Scatter over the thyme, rosemary and bay and crack over a good twist of black pepper. Wrap the bacon up in the foil, enclosing all the aromatic herbs up against the meat, and return it to the grill. Cook for a further 20 minutes or so, turning regularly. You should look for an internal temperature of around 65°C (150°F).

Lift the bacon away from the centre of the fire, but leave it wrapped up. Let it rest somewhere nice and warm while you toast the bread.

Lay the bread on the grill and cook it lightly on each side to toast it. Butter the warm slices of toast.

Unwrap the bacon and brush away the herbs. Slice the bacon thickly with a large, sharp knife. Arrange the juicy slices equally over two slices of the toast. Spoon over a generous dollop or two of ketchup or mustard (or both), and top with another slice of buttery toast. Enjoy.

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