Turkey Bacon Melt Recipe

Slice tomato and season

Slice the tomato into 1/4" (6 mm) thick slices. Lightly season both sides of the tomato slices with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

Prepare lettuce

Rinse and dry 4 lettuce leaves. Pat dry and set aside.

Prep turkey and bacon

If turkey is in large pieces, separate into thin slices. If bacon is not cooked, cook 6 strips until crisp (see next section). Keep warm.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil if using to help prevent sticking. Add bacon strips and cook 3–5 minutes per side until crisp to your liking. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Crumble or leave whole according to preference.

Butter the toast

Spread softened butter evenly on one side of each Texas toast slice (all 4 slices). The buttered side will be the exterior for grilling.

Assemble open-faced

Place two slices of Texas toast buttered-side down on a clean work surface. On each slice, spread 1 tbsp mayonnaise. Divide the turkey evenly (4 oz per sandwich), layering it atop the mayo. Add 2 slices of American cheese on each, then arrange 3 bacon strips per sandwich. Top bacon with seasoned tomato slices (2–3 slices per sandwich) and one lettuce leaf. Spread remaining 1 tbsp mayo on the unbuttered side of the remaining two toast slices and place them mayo-side down on top to close the sandwiches, buttered side facing out.

Grill the sandwiches

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low to medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the skillet and cook 3–4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese melts. If the bread browns too quickly before the cheese melts, lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid for 1–2 minutes to trap heat and melt the cheese.

Rest and slice

Remove sandwiches from the skillet and let rest 1 minute. Slice each sandwich in half on the diagonal and serve immediately.