Make Your Breakfast Sandwich 10x Better And Cook Your Bacon This Way

Whether you start your day with a (blessedly sludge-free) French press cuppa java, a mocha latte, or a frozen matcha, nothing pairs with it better than a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. Not only is this classic combination protein-forward for a satiating breakfast, there's something about the combination of smoky bacon and salty cheese that pleases most palates. Perhaps that's why this simple combination is Martha Stewart's favorite breakfast sandwich — it's uncomplicated, delicious, and oh-so-satisfying.

Of course, even Americans' beloved BEC isn't without its faults. Despite the now-proven scientific fact that bacon goes with virtually everything, it presents a logistical issue when assembling your sandwich — i.e., the strips usually hang out of the sides. Since this both makes your breakfast awkward to eat and robs your sandwich's interior of potential bacon-y goodness, the best course of action is to weave your bacon strips into tidy little squares before crisping them to crunchy perfection. This may sound like a weird thing to do, but draping other meats in bacon weaves is a popular way to add juicy flavor to things like meatloaf and venison.

To create a small weave for your sandwich, simply cut your bacon strips in half to make them shorter — about 3 inches total. Lay three short strips parallel to each other and carefully basket-weave a fourth strip over and under the top edges of the parallel strips. Repeat this step with a fifth and sixth bacon strip to create a beautifully interlaced square of bacon.

Though it may make sense to pan-fry your woven bacon squares, it's actually much easier (and just as tasty) to cook your bacon in the oven. First, it's much easier to build the squares on a baking sheet and simply slide them into the oven, rather than trying to transfer them to a frying pan and risking them coming apart. Second, a sustained 15 minutes or so in the oven is sure to cook all the strips through, while it may be tough to cook overlapping areas properly in a pan.

Using the oven also means your bacon won't need to be monitored while it cooks, leaving you free to fry up a few eggs and get your English muffin, bagel, or toast ready while everyone's favorite protein sizzles peacefully away. If you're making just one or two sandwiches and don't want to heat up the whole oven, an air fryer is a pretty good option, since it's made to get things crisp in a hurry.

Once you've mastered this technique, you have the opportunity to create some really interesting breakfast sammie combos by weaving different proteins together. Think honey smoked turkey deli meat, sliced a little thicker to keep it moist in the oven, or even thin-cut strips of beef, lamb, or venison. This could be especially tasty if you also upgrade your cheese selection by swapping ordinary cheddar for things like smoked gouda or even nutty shaved parmesan or herb-infused Boursin.