Tuna Bacon Tomato (TBT) Melt
Elevate the classic tuna melt with a savory twist: crispy bacon and juicy tomato slices. Try the TBT Melt today!
Equipment
- Normal Kitchen Utensils
Ingredients
- 8 Slices Sandwich Bread
- 1 Package Sliced Bacon
- 8 - 1 Oz. Slices of Cheese I like Sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack
- 1 Large Tomato Sliced Thin
- 5 Oz. Canned Tuna
- 1/2 C Mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp Finely Diced Celery
- 1 Tbsp Finely Diced Onion Red, Yellow or White
- 1 Tbsp Finely Diced Dill Pickle or Dill Pickle Relish
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice or Dijon Mustard
- 2 tsp Lemon Pepper
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Cut the strips of bacon in half and cook them using your desired method. I usually just pan fry it over medium heat until crispy and let it drain on a paper towel-lined plate.1 Package Sliced Bacon
- While the bacon cooks, set the cheese out to bring to room temperature.8 - 1 Oz. Slices of Cheese
- Make some tuna salad. Drain the canned tuna and break it into small pieces with a fork. Mix it in a bowl with the onion, celery, pickle, lemon juice (or Dijon mustard), 2 Tbsp of the mayo, a pinch of salt and two pinches of pepper. Set it aside to let the flavors meld.5 Oz. Canned Tuna, 1/2 C Mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp Finely Diced Celery, 1 Tbsp Finely Diced Onion, 1 Tbsp Finely Diced Dill Pickle or Dill Pickle Relish, 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice or Dijon Mustard, Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Finish cooking the bacon before building your sandwiches (pro tip: if you pan fried the bacon, drain the grease and use the same pan for your sandwiches. Just cut the heat for a minute or two to let it cool down).
- Start stacking the melts. Repeat the following steps steps for each one.
- Spread some of the remaining mayo onto one side of a piece of bread, and place it, mayo-side down, onto a cool pan/skillet. Spread some more mayo onto the second side and top with a slice of cheese. Turn the burner on to medium or medium/low, depending on your stove's power. The goal is to cook the center of the sandwich before over-toasting the bread.8 Slices Sandwich Bread
- Spread a quarter of the tuna salad evenly over the cheese and top of with a layer of sliced tomato. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of lemon pepper onto the tomato (if your lemon pepper has no salt, add a pinch here). Top the tomato with a quarter of the cooked bacon (assuming the package had 12 strips, that is 6 of the half strips) and a second slice of cheese.1 Large Tomato, 2 tsp Lemon Pepper
- Spread mayo onto a second piece of bread and place it, mayo-side down, onto the top of the sandwich, lightly pressing to help mash everything into place. Spread mayo over the top of the sandwich and give it a flip (don't be afraid to flip often, so the bread doesn't get over-toasted).
- Cook the sandwich, flipping every 1-2 minutes, until the center is warmed through, the cheese is melty and the bread is toasted to a golden brown on both sides. About 5-6 minutes in total.
- Repeat for each sandwich, for a total of four sandwiches. You will likely have to cook in batches, but can cook multiple sandwiches at a time if your pan is large enough.
- Let the sandwiches rest 3-4 minutes, to let everything set, before serving with a pickle, fries, chips, potato salad or really anything you like!