Jeff Mauro's Pig Candy BLT
- 12 slices applewood-smoked bacon, medium-cut (not thick-cut, but not paper thin) applewood-smoked bacon
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons your favorite BBQ rub
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 Maui onions, or other sweet, sliced
- A splash or two Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon wine, such as yellow tail, if needed
- 4 brioche buns
- Butter, for buns
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons BBQ Rub
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, your favorite
- 1 Roma tomato, sliced
- 4 leaves Romaine lettuce, crispy
For the bacon: Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine brown sugar and BBQ rub in a pie dish or sheet pan. Gently press each slice of bacon into the sugar/spice mix on both sides until completely coated.
Set a wire rack on a sheet pan and spray with vegetable oil. Place coated bacon on the rack and bake until super crispy and golden, about 50-60 minutes depending on your oven and the thickness of the bacon, rotating sheet pan midway through. Remove bacon from rack and let cool before breaking slices in half.
Butter and griddle bun bottoms until toasted. Combine all ingredients for the BBQ Rub Aioli in a small bowl.
To build sandwiches, layer bun bottoms with some caramelized onions, 3 to 4 pieces of halved Pig Candy Bacon, tomato slices (seasoned with a little bit of salt) and one leaf of lettuce. Finish by schmearing aioli on the top bun and closing them up. Serve and enjoy!