Time: 30 minutes
Feeds: 2 people
Ingredients:
- 2 hoagie rolls
- 8 oz deli sliced turkey
- 3-4 pieces white cheddar cheese
- 4 pieces bacon
- Turkey gravy, for dipping
Directions: Start by cooking the bacon. You’re welcome to cook yours in a skillet on the stove but I like to cook mine in the oven, especially for sandwiches because it stays really flat. When I’m cooking bacon for something, I usually just cook the whole pack even if I’m not going to use it all for the recipe I’m making. I’ll either plan another dinner involving bacon or use the leftovers for breakfast. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a foil lined sheet tray. I usually have to do 2 trays for a whole pack of bacon. Put the trays in a cold oven and then start the preheating process to 375 or 400 degrees depending on how thick the bacon is. I usually do thicker bacon at a higher temp. Starting the bacon in a cold oven helps the bacon stay flat. Cook the bacon for about 15 minutes and then check on it – there’s a chance you’ll need to leave it in for longer. When doing two trays, one will usually finish first and then the other will need another 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on your bacon because it’s easy for it to get too dark.
Prepare the gravy for dipping. I usually either get the packet of McCormick’s turkey gravy or Better than Bouillon now has jarred gravy and I really like that as well. If using the packet, follow the directions to prepare. If using a jar of gravy, heat on the stove in a small saucepan. You can absolutely make your own homemade gravy but that’s a lot of work for a sandwich. The packet or jar are totally sufficient and you can always doctor it to your liking if desired.
Now you can assemble the sandwiches. Start with preheating your oven on the broiler setting so you can melt the cheese. On a hoagie roll, split the turkey amongst the two sandwiches followed by a couple pieces of bacon. Next top with a slice or two of cheese. Oftentimes, I’ll separate the top and bottom of the hoagie roll before I put the sandwiches under the broiler so the bun doesn’t burn but it’s up to you! You could absolutely leave them together so the top bun gets slightly toasted.
Put the sandwiches on a foil lined quarter sheet tray and place under the broiler to melt the cheese. It’s really important to watch the sandwiches closely. The broiler gets so hot and the sandwiches can go from perfect to burned quickly.
When the cheese is melted to your liking, remove from the oven and add the top bun if separated. Add to a plate and serve with the turkey gravy on the side for dipping. We often have these with some kind of fruit or chips to go with.