Peameal Bacon - BLT
This isn’t just any BLT — it’s Canadian through and through. Peameal bacon, often called “Toronto’s signature dish,” is lean pork loin rolled in cornmeal and fried until golden. A legend at St. Lawrence Market since the late 1800s, it remains a proud local favourite. Layered with lettuce and ripe tomatoes, this BLT takes a familiar classic and gives it a distinctly Canadian identity.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2–4
Ingredients
6–8 slices peameal bacon (about 300 g)
4 slices good-quality bread, toasted (or naan for a softer wrap)
4–6 leaves crisp lettuce
2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced
2–3 tbsp mayonnaise (optional: mix with a squeeze of lemon)
Salt & pepper, to taste
Method
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add peameal bacon slices and cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
Toast bread (or warm naan) and spread with mayonnaise.
Layer lettuce, tomato slices, and cooked peameal bacon on half the bread. Season tomatoes lightly with salt and pepper.
Top with remaining bread, press gently, and slice to serve.
Variations
Market Classic – serve on a soft bun with just bacon, tomato, and mustard.
Naan BLT – use warm naan bread instead of toast for a Canadian–Indian fusion.
Deluxe – add avocado slices, an egg, as well as, sharp Canadian cheddar.
Toronto grew from the colonial outpost of York into Canada’s largest city, shaped by trade, culture, and immigration. At its heart, St. Lawrence Market has been feeding Torontonians since 1803, evolving from a farmers’ market into one of the world’s great food halls. Among its icons is peameal bacon — created in the late 1800s by pork packer William Davies, who rolled cured pork loins in ground yellow peas (later cornmeal) for preservation. The result, famously served in thick sandwiches at the market, became “Toronto’s bacon” — a simple but ingenious comfort food that reflects the city’s immigrant spirit.
Graffiti Alley, Toronto Ontario