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Sandwiches · American

Turkey Club Sandwich

Three slices of toast, crisp bacon, cold lettuce and a toothpick holding it all together.

Hands-on
20 min
Hands-off
20 min
Oven preheat
10 min
Total
40 min
Makes
2 sandwiches
Serves
2

40 minutes. You crisp the lettuce and slice the tomato while the oven heats and the bacon bakes (15-20 min), then toast the bread in the same oven (3-6 min).

Oven 200 °C · 180 °C fan (400 °F)

Pan rimmed baking sheet, lined with foil (US: rimmed baking sheet, lined with foil)

  • easy
  • lunch
  • classic
  • diner

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Turkey Club Sandwich
Amount
Units
Oven

Ingredients

You need: rimmed baking sheet · aluminium foil · wire rack that fits on the baking sheet (optional) · bowl of ice water · paper towels or a clean tea towel · serrated knife · tongs · oven mitts

Contains: egg · wheat

Method

  1. Heat the oven, rack the bacon

    Put a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 200°C (180°C fan, 400°F). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, set a wire rack on top and lay the 6 bacon slices on it in a single layer. No wire rack? Lay the bacon straight on the foil. Wash your hands after handling the raw bacon.

  2. Bake the bacon; crisp the lettuce

    Bake the bacon for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with cold water and a big handful of ice and drop in the lettuce leaves. Cut the tomato into 4 to 6 slices and season them with a pinch of salt and pepper.

    Ready when: The bacon is browned and crisp along its whole length, with no soft, pale or translucent fat left. If some slices are still floppy at 15 minutes, give them the extra 5.

    Otto tried this firstOtto pulls the bacon at 10 minutes because it smells done. It's pale and floppy. It goes back in until it's browned and crisp.

  3. Drain the bacon, toast the bread

    Lift the bacon onto a plate lined with paper towels using tongs. Leave the tray of hot fat in a safe place to cool. Put the 6 bread slices straight onto the oven rack and toast for 3 to 6 minutes.

    Ready when: The toast is lightly golden and crisp on the outside. Check at 3 minutes, as ovens vary.

  4. Spread the mayo, dry the lettuce

    Spread 1 tbsp mayonnaise on one side of 4 toast slices: these are the outsides. Spread 1/2 tbsp on both sides of the other 2 slices: these go in the middle. Lift the lettuce out of the ice water and pat it completely dry.

    Otto tried this firstOtto skips drying the lettuce and the toast goes soggy. Pat it dry.

  5. Build the bottom layer

    On each of 2 outer slices (mayo side up), lay half the lettuce for that sandwich, tearing it to fit, then the tomato slices and 85 g (3 oz) turkey. Top with a middle slice.

  6. Build the top layer and close

    Add 3 bacon slices and the rest of the lettuce to each sandwich, breaking the bacon to fit. Close each one with an outer slice, mayo side down.

  7. Press, pin and cut

    Press down gently on each sandwich. Push in 4 toothpicks if using, then cut each sandwich on the diagonal into quarters with a serrated knife, one toothpick per quarter.

Swaps

  • Instead of deli turkey: sliced chicken or ham, or a mix
  • Instead of pork bacon: turkey bacon Cook it until crisp and check the pack's cooking directions.
  • Instead of turkey and bacon (vegetarian): cheese slices and crisped veggie bacon
  • Instead of oven-toasting the bread: a toaster Or toast it under the broiler.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead
Cook the bacon several hours to several days ahead and keep it in the fridge; use it within 3 to 4 days. Let it come to room temperature before building. Build the sandwich just before eating, or the toast goes soft.
Storage
Best eaten straight away. Don't leave the assembled sandwich out for more than 2 hours. Deli meat should be used as soon as possible once opened, so check the date on the pack.

If something goes wrong

  • Soggy toast Why: Wet lettuce, or the sandwich sat around before eating.
    Pat the iced lettuce completely dry and assemble right before serving.
  • Sandwich slides apart when cut Why: No toothpicks, or it wasn't pressed.
    Press it gently first, then pin each quarter with a toothpick before cutting.

Good to know

  • A wire rack over the tray lets the fat drip away from the bacon. Without one, the bacon still works on the foil.
  • The middle slice gets mayo on both sides, so every layer stays moist.

Safety

  • Raw bacon is raw pork. Wash your hands, tongs and board after handling it, and keep it away from the lettuce and tomato.
  • The bacon tray holds very hot fat. Leave it to cool before you move it, and use oven mitts. Kids should leave the oven work to an adult.
  • Toothpicks are sharp and easy to bite down on. Take them out before eating, and leave them out for small children.
  • Deli meat and Listeria: people at higher risk (pregnant people, adults 65+, anyone with a weakened immune system) are advised not to eat deli meat unheated. Heat the turkey to 74°C (165°F) or until steaming hot before building, or choose another filling.
  • Mayonnaise contains egg and bread contains wheat. Check labels: some breads also contain milk, soy or sesame.