Nothing pairs better than bacon-infused bourbon and a smoked Old Fashioned. In this recipe, we explore the process of infusing your bourbon with bacon, using a technique called “fat washing.”
Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it: Fat-washing bourbon with bacon is one of the best ways to take your Old Fashioned game to the next level. The goods news is that you may already have everything you need for fat-washing your bourbon in your kitchen. Essentially, you just need some bacon (or preserved bacon fat), a bottle of bourbon, a couple mason jars, and coffee filters.
Fat Washing involves technique involves infusing the savory notes of bacon into bourbon, creating a marriage of smoky goodness that can elevate your cocktail game to new heights.
In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process of fat washing. When we ran this recipe, we used Maker’s Mark bourbon. Because Maker’s Mark has a high wheat content, it was extremely receptive to fat-washing without overpowering the bacon flavor, as will be the case with some high-rye bourbons.
How does fat washing work?
Fat washing operates on the principles of solubility and emulsion, leveraging the affinity of fats for alcohol molecules. Rooted in culinary science, this technique involves infusing spirits such as bourbon with the aromatic compounds found in fats, in this case, bacon.
Historically, the roots of fat washing can be traced back to the molecular gastronomy movement, where chefs sought novel ways to manipulate flavors and textures. In the context of spirits, the process entails introducing rendered bacon fat into alcohol, allowing for the dissolution of fat-soluble flavor compounds.
This infusion period, typically involving hours to overnight, facilitates the transference of savory and smoky notes from the fat to the spirit. The filtration process ensures the removal of residual fat particulates, yielding a scientifically-enriched, uniquely-nuanced flavor that is a cocktail-maker’s best friend.
Ingredients:
- 350 mL Makers Mark bourbon
- 1 lb. high-quality bacon (apple wood smoked is excellent for this)
- Fine-mesh strainer (like a coffee filter)
- Cheesecloth
- Large Mason Jar (16 oz should be fine for this recipe)
Bacon Infused Bourbon Instructions:
- Step 1: Cook the Bacon – In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until it becomes crispy. You want to extract as much flavor as possible, so don’t be afraid to let it sizzle a bit longer than you would for regular consumption. Once crispy, set the bacon aside on a paper towel to absorb excess grease.
- Step 2: Strain the Bacon Fat – Set aside the fat from the bacon and strain using a cheese cloth. The fat from around 1 lb of bacon should be enough to wash 350 mL of bourbon.
- Step 3: Infuse the Bourbon – Pour 350 mL of Makers Mark bourbon into your 16 oz mason jar. One your strained bacon fat reaches room temperature, carefully mix it into the mason jar.
- Step 4: Mix the Bourbon – Tighten the lid on your Mason jar, and shake the jar until the bacon fat/bourbon mixture is completely blended. The mixture will kind of take on the color of a chocolate milkshake. This is where patience comes into play – you’ll need to periodically shake this mixture every 10 minutes, for the next 2 hours (this is a great activity to do while watching TV).
- Step 5: Freeze the Fat Wash – Without opening your Mason jar, stick it in the freezer for around 2 hours, or overnight. The goal is for all the bacon fat to rise to the surface of the mason jar, then harden.
- Step 6: Separate the Fat Wash – Open your Mason jar, and using a spoon, remove the hardened block of bacon fat from the top of the bourbon mixture.
- Step 7: Strain the Bourbon – After the infusion period, use a coffee filter lined with cheesecloth to strain the bourbon, taking care to strain out any remaining pieces of bacon fat.
- Step 6: Store and Enjoy – Transfer the fat-washed bourbon into a clean, airtight container or bottle for storage. This unique concoction is now ready to be incorporated into your favorite cocktails.
Whether it’s a bacon-infused Old Fashioned or a smoky twist on a classic Manhattan, your Makers Mark fat-washed bourbon should absolutely be a staple on your bourbon shelf.
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