Country Morning Bacon BLT with Smokey Pimento Cheese Spread
By: Rebecka - Danville, CA -2016 Recipe Contest
"My Coffee Bacon BLT Sandwich with Smokey Bacon Pimento Cheese Spread is delicious. The combination of Door County Coffee-Country Morning Blend's rich, hearty flavor and crispy smoked bacon prove to be a match made in heaven; add the richness of the creamy cheese spread infused with a touch of the Bacon Coffee Rub...and the flavors sing."
This is a Door County Coffee Fan recipe. It was not made in the kitchens of the Door County Coffee Café.
Ingredients
Featured ingredient: Country Morning Blend Coffee 10 oz Bag Ground
Coffee Bacon Ingredients:
-
- 15 slices thick cut bacon (11 slices for coffee bacon, 4 slices for cheese spread)
- ¼ cup fine ground Door County Country Morning Blend coffee
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- 5 tablespoon brown sugar divided
- 2 tablespoon molasses
- 2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 Head Lettuce washed/drained and leaves separated
- 2 large Tomatos, sliced
- 2 Avocados, sliced
- 1 large sweet or red onion, sliced thin
- 2 large poblano peppers
- 1 loaf dark rye or brown bread
Coffee Bacon Pimento Cheese Spread Ingredients:
-
- ¼ pound (1 ½ cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 ounces garlic herb soft cheese spread
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced pimentos
- ½ cup chopped cooked bacon
- 1/3 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/3 teaspoons granulated onion
- About 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- About 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Coffee Rub
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Coffee Bacon Directions:
-
- Lay 11 slices thick cut bacon on prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl combine ¼ cup fine ground Door County Country Morning Blend coffee, ¼ tsp chili powder, 2 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoon molasses, 2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard, and 2 tablespoons water.
- Stir ingredients to make a thick paste. IMPORTANT You have just made a very potent coffee rub be advised that a little goes a long way.
- Brush about ¼ -1/2 teaspoon coffee rub onto each slice of bacon, turn bacon over (You should have a few teaspoons of the rub left in the bowl, save for pimento spread).
- Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoon brown sugar over the bacon to facilitate cooking a crisp/candied bacon.
- Bake in the 400-degree F. oven for 20-35 minutes. Turn bacon twice during cooking process. Turn oven off and remove cooked bacon from oven, rest at room temperature until ready to build the sandwich.
- Bacon will crisp up as it cools.
- Meanwhile, in a large cast iron or heavy bottom skillet cook remaining 4 strip of bacon until crisp.
- Remove bacon from skillet and coarse chop. Reserve cooked bacon for cheese spread (reserve bacon grease for blistering poblano peppers).
- Wash 1 Head Lettuce, drain on paper towels and separate leaves. Slice 2 large tomatoes, 2 avocados, and 1 large sweet or red onion. Set aside.
- Blister 2 large poblano peppers in hot bacon grease over medium high heat until charred (peppers should be very dark in color and blistered all over). Put blistered peppers into a plastic zip bag and seal them closed. Rest peppers for 5 minutes to sweat the skins. Remove peppers from bag and peel the skin off and de-seed them.
- Slice peppers into 4 large pieces. Set aside.
Coffee Bacon Pimento Cheese Spread Directions:
-
- In a medium food processor bowl pulse ¼ pound (1 ½ cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 2 ounces garlic herb soft cheese spread, 1 (4-ounce) can diced/drained pimentos, 1/3 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/3 teaspoons granulated onion, about 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, pinch cayenne pepper, about 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard, 2/3 cup mayonnais,e 1 teaspoon Coffee Rub and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in ½ cup chopped cooked bacon and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.
To Build the Sandwich:
-
- Spread 1 tablespoon Coffee Bacon Pimento Cheese Spread onto three slices of dark rye or brown bread.
- Use only two slices of bread, place a few leaves of lettuce over the cheese spread and 4 slices of Coffee Bacon, add second layer of bread.
- Then layer each sandwich with 1 slice poblano pepper avocado slices and tomato slices.
- Top with 4 more slices of coffee bacon and thin sliced red or sweet onion.
- Top with final slice of bread that has been spread with pimento cheese. Secure each sandwich with 2 long toothpicks. Slice sandwiches in half and serve immediately.
ENJOY