Berkshire Pork Bacon Fat-Washed Old Fashioned
Curing Time: 8-10 hours • Prep Time: 25 minutes • Yields: 2-4 servings
Ingredients:
1 pkg. Fossil Farms' Berkshire Pork Smoked Bacon, 1 lb.
1 bottle bourbon, your choice; 750ml
Brown sugar, as needed
3 fl. oz. maple syrup
24 dashes of Angostura bitters
1 orange, zested
Equipment:
Medium saucepan
Heat-proof container
Coffee filters
Baking sheet
Wire rack
Cutting board
Mixing glass
Whiskey glasses
Large sphere ice mold
Notes:
To fat wash bourbon using bacon fat, use 10 strips of bacon for every 1½ cups of bourbon.
For single cocktail preparations, use:
2 fl. oz. bacon fat-washed bourbon
¼ fl. oz. maple syrup
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
Method:
1. Cook half a pack of bacon over medium heat, rendering out all of the fat without letting it burn.
2. Let bacon fat cool slightly and pour into a wide-mouthed, heat-proof container with a lid.
3. Add room temperature bourbon, seal the container, and shake until well combined.
4. Allow to sit for 1 hour at room temperature. Then, place in refrigerator or freezer for several hours, preferably overnight, until fat has solidified.
5. Skim solidified fat from the bourbon with a spoon or spatula. Strain bourbon through a coffee filter to ensure all fat is removed.
6. To prepare the candied bacon, preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place an oven-safe wire rack on top.
7. Arrange remaining bacon strips on wire rack, making sure that none overlap. Sprinkle each bacon strip with brown sugar.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, or until sugar has melted and bacon is browned.
9. Remove from oven and sprinkle orange zest on top of bacon. Let bacon reach room temperature before chopping into bacon bits on cutting board.
10. To prepare the cocktail, add fat-washed bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters to a decanter with some ice and stir.
11. Strain and pour into a whiskey glass over one large ice cube.
12. Garnish with orange zested candied bacon before raising your glass to cheers!