Put bacon in my what???

Okay, this wasn’t where I intended to go this morning, but on the way to a study of regional barbecue sauce styles, I got waylaid by bacon-infused (baconed) bourbon. This is Americana to the “Nth” degree, so I figured what the hell?

Why would a person do that?!! Bacon is bad!! Bourbon is alcohol, and its bad, bad, bad!! Let’s go have a tofu mocha and go for a jog. . . . Good, now they’re gone, and the rest of us adults, who are not deluding ourselves into thinking we’re gonna live forever, can talk. Apparently the idea is old. People have been infusing alcohol with fruits and all manner of things for centuries. It probably went along the lines of “Hmmmm, bacon is good. Bourbon is good. Hey, dude, you ever put bacon in your bourbon???”

The “Benton’s Old Fashioned” has become all the rage in the trendiest bars from San Francisco, to the Big Apple, and on to London, and Tokyo. Reportedly, asking for one in Edinborough can get your ass kicked, but all the bartenders there know how to make one anyway. Scots are loyal bastards, and they will not forgive America for bourbon any time soon. They’re also a lot tougher than most of us, so while there, keep your mouth shut and enjoy the single malts.

But elsewhere, the bacon does add a really nice smokey essence to a good bourbon. So, maybe we should start with what is a good bourbon. I did a little bourbon history lesson on this blog in June, 2009, when I put up the recipe for bourbon cake. Seven of the guys who laughed at me, later tried the bourbon cake and now they are making their own. (I’m just sayin’ . . .) However, since then, people have opined on occasion about bourbons left off the list, so at the end of this article, I will add some of their suggestions.

Once you make your bourbon selection, plan on adding one ounce of liquid bacon fat, rendered from a really good, smoky bacon, to 750 ml of bourbon, in a big wide mouth glass jar. You want the bacon fat cool, but not starting to solidify. Then seal it up and let it sit at room temperature for a minimum of four hours. It’s a taste thing, you’ll have to experiment to find the exact time on this. Ohhh, poor you!!!

Now put the jar in the freezer for at least two hours. The fat will congeal, and can easily be removed. You can run the bourbon through a strainer, and or a coffee filter to remove any residual fat solids.

So now you have baconed bourbon. What are ya gonna do with it? Well, from San Francisco to New Orleans, to New York, to London, to Tokyo and with a side trip to the Flagstaff House in Boulder, Colorado (one of the drop dead, hands down, best restaurants in the country), if you order a Benton’s Old Fashioned, this is what they are going to serve you.

2 oz baconed bourbon
1/4 oz maple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Stir with ice and pour into a cracked ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a twist of orange. In San Francisco, they often rim the glass with bits of sweet, smoky bacon, fried up crisp. Enjoy.

Good bourbons? Here is a consensus from a survey taken of professional bartenders from all over the country and reported in Outdoor Life magazine. Pick your poison and have a bacony good time.

Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old
Richer than molasses, this deep, dark bourbon checks in at an easy-sippin' 107 proof. If you want to respect your elders, there's no need to add water or ice. Just kick back, put your feet up and let Pappy do the rest.

Buffalo Trace
The flagship bourbon of the heralded Buffalo Trace distillery starts off with vanilla mint spiciness and mellows on the palate with a deep molasses finish. Keep a bottle of this in your liquor cabinet at all times and call it your 'house bourbon' and you'll be sure to impress your connoisseur friends.

Woodford Reserve
The official bourbon of the Breeder's Cup and Kentucky Derby, this 90.4 proof bourbon walks the line between complexity and mixability. You can enjoy its notes of corn, caramel and oak in a rocks glass by itself or you can use it in a mint julep or Manhattan.

Booker's
Aged six-to-eight years, this heavy duty bourbon is not for the light of tongue. At 121 proof it can be a little more intense than your average bourbon. But its notes of vanilla, tobacco and oak help you ride the long, intense finish.

Knob Creek
Sweet and rich, this 100-proof bourbon has hints of brown sugar and toasted nuts. It's aged nine years and was named National Whiskey Champion by Wine Enthusiast.

Eagle Rare 10 Year Old
This 90-proof well balanced bourbon is brimming with vanilla and toasted nut flavors which garnered it a double gold at the prestigious San Francisco spirits competition. If you're feeling flush, pick up a bottle of the even rarer Eagle Rare 17-year old.

Bulleit
Incorporating more rye into its mashbill than most other bourbons, Bulleit gives your palate an added spicy kick. The bottle that houses this 90-proof tipple was designed in tribute to the old-fashioned brown medicine flasks.

Maker's Mark
These distinctive wax-dipped bottles are like snowflakes-each one is different. But on the inside, each bottle contains the same smooth signature 90-proof bourbon that starts off with sweet corn and leather notes and sits on the palate with a long, rich caramel finish.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed
The Thunder Chicken got its name after a distillery executive used to bring this bourbon on turkey hunting trips. This 108 proof bourbon is a blend of six, eight and 12-year old barrels that gives it hints of citrus, caramel and sweet tobacco.

George T. Stagg
The grand daddy of all bourbons, this 140+ proof bourbon has been nicknamed 'Hazmat' because of its high alcohol content. Add a little water to this 15-year old and it will open up the coffee, citrus and oak flavors.