Grumpy Old Men Bacon Sandwich

Now that’s a sandwich, lemme tell ya. You take a goodamount of bacon - not just a slice or two - slap it on some rye, the kind that smells like it’s been through a bar fight with a caraway seed. Then you got these little fancy-pants cucumbers, all soaked in balsamic vinegar like they’re tryin’ to impress somebody, and some sun-dried tomatoes that look like prunes but taste like heaven pressed into some tangy goat cheese. And basil! Ha! Never thought I’d be eatin’ leaves on a bacon sandwich, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t make the whole thing taste like the ends of summer on the lake.

It’s crunchy, salty, tangy, and just a little too classy for the likes of me. But hey - you give me that and a cold beer, and you can keep your fancy restaurants. That’s lunch, son. A real sandwich. Makes your doctor nervous just to look at it.

Ingredients

for 4 sandwiches

2 lb. bacon
1 tbs vegetable oil
8 slices seeded rye bread
10.5 oz Goat Cheese
2 cups Basil Leaves
7 oz Sun Dried Tomatoes
1 tbs Chili Paste
1 English Cucumber
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar

Directions

Slice the cucumber into 1/4 inch thin rounds. Season rounds with salt and sugar, let sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes rinse sugar and salt off the cucumber and pat dry. Season the rounds with black pepper and soak in balsamic vinegar for at least 15 minutes.
Coat sheet pans with vegetable oil and place bacon in a single layer. Place sheet pans with bacon into a cold oven and turn oven on to 375 degrees F. Cook bacon until it begins to foam, about 15 minutes. Remove bacon from sheet pan and allow to drain on paper towels, reserve bacon fat.
Spread a thin layer of chili paste on each slice of rye bread and coat with bacon fat. Broil the rye bacon side up for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly
Spread goat cheese on each of the toasted side of the rye. Top half the slices with pickled cucumber and the other half with sun-dried tomatoes.
Top the cucumber slices with basil, then with bacon, and top with sun-dried tomato slices.
Cut sandwich and serve