Yes, I realize that’s a lemonade jar up there. No, I’m not stupid, just bear with me for a moment.
It was less than a month ago that I first heard about the bacon infused bourbon served at East Village bar PDT, and since then, I have been filled with a craving that knows no bounds. Should I buy it? Should I make my own? And if I made my own, how would I go about doing that?
These thoughts led to darker thoughts, like, “What if I infused a lot of stuff, in large quantities?” Which led me to the lemonade jar you see above, from Sur La Table. Basically, you could infuse a vodka (or, let’s say, bourbon) in this jar, and then easily dispense it through the spigot. It’s a pretty, elegant solution to a problem that is basically, “how do I get myself super drunk?”
Granted, this is a solution for a LOT of liquor, and so, not for every infusion. If you’re looking to make bacon bourbon, you’re only going to need 4-6 hours to infuse. For vodkas, you can infuse for much, much longer for a richer flavor. That being said: bacon; bourbon; boo-yah.
[$70, Sur La Table]
The following recipe for a Bacon Infused Old-Fashioned is taken from New York Magazine, which you can check out here (including a video of the concoction being made):
FOR THE BOURBON- BACON INFUSION:
3 or 4 slices bacon, or enough to render 1 ounce of fat (PDT uses Benton’s, but any extra-smoky variety will do)
1 750-ml. bottle of bourbon such as Four Roses Yellow Label
FOR THE OLD FASHIONED:
2 ounces bacon-infused bourbon
1/4 ounce Grade B maple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Twist of orange
FOR THE BACON-INFUSED BOURBON: Cook bacon in pan and reserve rendered fat. (1) When bacon fat has cooled a bit, pour off one ounce from pan. (2) Pour bourbon into a non-porous container. (3) Strain the bacon fat into the container and infuse for 4 to 6 hours at room temperature. Place mixture in freezer until all the fat is solidified. With a slotted spoon, remove fat and strain mixture back into bottle.
FOR THE COCKTAIL: In mixing glass, stir 2 ounces bacon-infused bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters with ice. Strain into chilled rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with orange twist.
