Food - Drink
You're Only 2 Ingredients Away From DIY Bacon Bourbon
By LISA CURRAN MATTE
Bacon bourbon isn’t a marketing gimmick designed to reel in bourbon and bacon enthusiasts; it's actually a time-consuming product made through fat-washing, a challenging and respected method to add flavor to alcohol. Unlike botanical or fruit infusions, fat-washing with bacon also changes the texture of the bourbon.
The original bacon bourbon comes from New York City's PDT, and has just two ingredients: bourbon and bacon grease. To recreate PDT's bourbon exactly, you'll need 1 and a half ounces of Benton's bacon fat and 750 ml of Four Roses bourbon, and if the bacon fat is cold, you’ll need to warm it in a small saucepan until it melts.
Combine the bourbon and fat in a heat- and freezer-proof container and let it stand at room temperature for four hours, then freeze it for two hours. The fat will solidify at the top of the mixture, so you can remove it and drain the bourbon through a cheesecloth-covered strainer for a savory, smoky drink with a super-smooth mouthfeel.