A few years ago, a real bacon revolution began in the United States. In the kitchens of American housewives, such masterpieces as candied bacon, bacon donuts and even chocolate-covered bacon began to appear. We, who were born in the USSR, are not surprised by lard in chocolate, but what can you say about homemade bacon tincture?
Either it seemed to the Americans that they hadn’t scoffed enough at the Scotch-Irish drink (that’s what I called whiskey if that), or they were just bored with their “American Dream”. Do not know. But their alcoholic attempts are sometimes simply put into a stupor. Have you looked at the recipes from the last intoxicating experiment? Yes, yes, it’s all the bourgeois who came up with the idea of stuffing carrots into a bottle of vodka. Now get out the bacon. And the tinctures are worthy, exactly for newfangled gastropubs. In general, intoxicating experiment #2 will be about bacon!
Many people confuse bacon with ordinary bacon with a meat layer. In fact, this is meat that is obtained as a result of a special fattening of pigs (bacon pig breeding). Bacon is characterized by low-fat juicy meat with uniform layers of fat. There is salted bacon and smoked bacon. Both types are suitable for alcoholic experiments, but for the “ennoblement” of bourbon, smoked products are more suitable, preferably on apple wood.
Universal “Bacon”
We will consider this drink as the starting point of our study. The tincture, which I decided to call “Bacon” for lack of a euphonious translation of Bacon Bourbon and Bacon Infused Vodka, is not drunk in its pure form by Americans themselves, but is used to make numerous cocktails.
◦ 700-750 vodka or bourbon
◦ bacon as needed
Fry about 5-6 strips of bacon in a frying pan (after frying, the bacon can be eaten). The remaining fat in the pan will go to the tincture. For 700-750 ml of vodka or bourbon, you need to take about 80 ml of fat. The algorithm is as follows: we take hot fat, pour it into a jar of a suitable volume and add alcohol. Mix well, close the jar tightly and leave for 6 hours at room temperature. We put the tincture in the freezer for 24 hours – during this time the fat will collect on the surface and freeze. Carefully drain the alcohol, filter it through several layers of gauze or coffee filters, use the remaining fat for cooking. Store the tincture in the refrigerator. Ready!
After a day or two, you can try the tincture. If you like it in its pure form – drink it. Not good? We try in cocktails. The best option for a vodka tincture with this character is always Bloody Mary, but with bourbon you can experiment endlessly. Back in the day, Maker’s Mark bourbon advertisers suggested making bacon bourbon for Old Fashioned:
Bacon Old Fashioned
- 60 ml bourbon bacon
- 15 ml maple syrup (or regular)
- 2 dessert bitter Angostura
- orange twist or fried bacon
Mix all the ingredients in a glass, add ice and garnish with an orange twist, or better with a slice of toasted bacon.
Smoked bourbon with bacon
Thought bacon was the limit for tinctures? Potatoes will give a delicate golden sheen and a clear texture to the drink. Bacon, on the other hand, pairs well with bourbon and sugar, creating a zesty brew with a smoky character and a creamy finish. This drink can be enjoyed in its purest form!
- 750 ml bourbon
- 3 pcs. golden potatoes
- 6 strips smoked bacon
- a pinch of smoked salt
- 2 tbsp. l. celery seeds
- 200 ml simple syrup
Fry smoked bacon until crispy, dry and break into small pieces. Wash potatoes, peel and chop coarsely. In a jar of suitable size, combine bourbon, potatoes, bacon, smoked salt and celery seeds (you can substitute dill seeds). Mix well, close the jar tightly and leave in a dark, cool place for 10-14 days. Strain through a sieve or several layers of gauze, do not squeeze out the solid ingredients. If necessary, filter, add syrup, boiled from equal parts of water and brown sugar. Leave for a week or two and serve. Store the tincture in a dark cabinet. It is recommended to use within 1 year!
Tincture “Mexican Piggy”
A logical addition to bacon in an alcoholic drink would be hot peppers. Habaneros and Serranos won’t be easy to come by, but if you’re familiar with the flavors of these two flesh-scorching peppers, try to find a worthy replacement for them.
- 6 strips of bacon
- 3 pcs. habanero pepper
- 2 pcs. serrano pepper
- 1 liter of good vodka
Fry the bacon until crispy, transfer to paper towels and let cool. Divide the whole pepper into slices, do not remove the seeds. Place the cooled bacon and prepared peppers in a jar of a suitable volume, close the jar tightly and leave in the refrigerator for 7 days or less, until the taste of the tincture begins to suit you (after 7 days the drink becomes very hot). After a week or less, strain through cheesecloth, do not wring. Strain if necessary. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 year!
Smoky Bacon Bloody Mary
- 700 ml of tomato juice
- 3 art. l. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 art. l. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 st. l. Worcester sauce
- 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 tsp finely chopped horseradish
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- tincture “Mexican Piggy” to taste
- Tabasco sauce to taste
- olives and olive juice
- celery sprig for garnish
In a blender or food processor, blend the tomato juice, lemon juice, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and horseradish until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir again. Pour the tomato preparation into a jug (chaser incarnate). Add ice to a tall glass and pour the desired amount of tincture (usually 1 part is enough for 2 parts of juice). Pour the previously prepared juice into the glass, add Tabasco sauce and olive juice to taste, mix gently. Finally, garnish the cocktail with a sprig of celery and olives.