Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 14

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Camping For Foodies Dinner Camping Recipes: This grilled cheese is an over-the-top scrumptious sandwich for bacon lovers!

6-8 slices bacon (Don't use center cut bacon or thick bacon. 6 slices works for smaller sandwich bread, larger pan-style bread slices may need 8 strips. )
2 slices sandwich bread (I prefer using a sturdy whole grain bread but a simple white bread is fine too.)
4 slices of your favorite cheese (I prefer a sharp cheddar cheese but Monterey Jack and American cheese are great too. I don't recommend using goat cheese.)

Preheat griddle or skillet to medium-high heat.
Lay out 3-4 slices of bacon, side by side on a flat surface (like a cutting board). (see Note 1)
Place a slice of bread on top and in the middle of the bacon strips (so the bacon is running the width of the sandwich.
Place cheese on top of the bread. Make sure the slices of cheese cover the entire piece of bread, all the way to the crust. They can overlap in the middle of the bread creating a sort of "cheese bridge".
Place the other slice of bread on top of the cheese (making the sandwich).
Fold the bacon around the outside of the bread on both sides of the sandwich.
Place sandwich aside.
Lay another 3-4 slices of bacon side by side (the number required to cover the rest of the bread).
Place the already wrapped sandwich on top of the new strip layer, seam side down and with the bacon facing the opposite direction from the first strips. This new layer will run in the direction from the top of the sandwich to the bottom.
Fold the strips of bacon around the exposed side of each slice of bread. The end of the bacon strips will overlap a bit.
Place seam side down on preheated griddle or skillet. Fry for 5-7 minutes.
Flip and fry the bacon on the other side for another 5-7 minutes. (see Note 2)
Cook the sides of the sandwich by using tongs and holding the sandwich upright until the sides of the bacon are golden brown, about 30 seconds each of the four sides. (see Note 3)
Let stand about 5 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife.

When you wrap the bacon around the bread you don't want the bacon slices to overlap (on the long side) but you do want them to butt up to each other. Depending on the shape of the bread slices, you may need 3 or 4 pieces of bacon each direction (for a total of 6-8 slices of bacon per sandwich.)
When flipping, slide your spatula under the bacon in the same direction the bacon is laying on the pan so you don't separate the bacon. You may need to "rearrange" the bacon if some of it is not touching the griddle, or, it will be undercooked.
You are looking for crispy bacon, it needs to have a texture that will hold the sandwich together. It is is undercooked, the sandwich will just fall apart.