Author Notes
This bacon-infused bourbon cocktail was inspired by the Old Fashioned at PDT, a cocktail mecca in New York City’s East Village. I think the star-anise-infused cider syrup gives mine a nice complexity, and the fresh lemon juice sparks the dark, smoky flavors. —gluttonforlife
Ingredients
- For the Bacon-Infused Bourbon
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375 milliliters
bourbon, such as Tuthilltown's Baby Bourbon
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2
slices smoky bacon
- For the Apple Cider Syrup
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2 cups
organic apple cider
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1 tablespoon
brown sugar (like dark muscovado)
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1 tablespoon
maple syrup, grade B preferred
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1-2
star anise
Directions
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Decant the bourbon into a large glass jar with a wide mouth.
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Fry the bacon in a skillet to render the fat and, once it's cooled, strain the fat into the bourbon and close the jar. (Scarf down the bacon.)
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Let the bourbon sit out for about 6 hours and then put it in the freezer. Once the fat is completely hardened, scoop it all out with a slotted spoon (or your fingers).
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Meanwhile, make the cider syrup by combining all the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmering briskly until reduced to 2/3 cup. Strain out the star anise. Refrigerate until cold.
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For the Piggyback: Into a cocktail shaker with ice, pour 2 ozs bacon-infused bourbon, 1 1/2 ozs cider syrup and 1 oz fresh lemon juice and shake well. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. (You can double the ingredients and shake two at a time if you're not drinking alone.)
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