A Shot Worth Savoring: PB & Bacon-Washed Whiskey Recipe

Even though fat-washed cocktails first became popular back in the '00s, making fat-washed booze is something many of us have yet to try. While developer Patterson Watkins says she only recently started experimenting with the technique, she's long been a fan of DIY infusions. With the bacon-washed whiskey she came up with for this shooter, we think she's onto a real winner. As she describes the spirit, "You get a smooth, mildly unctuous finish with these interesting porky pops and caramelized-smoky undertones."

Watkins used bourbon to make her bacony infusion but says you can use a sweeter or smokier whiskey as per your preference. She does advise, however, avoiding flavored whiskey or something super-peaty like certain single malt Scotches can be. In such a case, she explains, "Your bacon washing might be muted or overpowered."

As for the shooter she crafted with the fat-washed whiskey, this makes use of store-bought peanut butter whiskey along with Irish cream liqueur. The resulting shot is sweet but pretty boozy, so if you're thinking of turning it into a cocktail by serving it in a larger glass, you may want to add cream or milk to dilute some of the alcohol.

The bacon-washed whiskey itself is made with nothing more than, you guessed it, bacon and whiskey. For the rest of the drink, you'll also need peanut butter whiskey and Irish cream liqueur as well as peanut butter and caramel to decorate the rim of the glasses.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the bacon slices on the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until crisp.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Transfer the drippings to a sealable container.

Add the whiskey to the container and vigorously whisk to combine.

Cover the container and set aside at room temperature to steep, approximately 4 hours (or overnight).

Once steeped, place the container in the freezer for 1 hour or until the bacon drippings have solidified.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the solidified drippings (you can discard the drippings or save for another use).

Strain the bacon-infused whiskey through a coffee filter (to remove any bacon dregs or residual greasy drippings).

While the bacon-infused whiskey is straining, make the caramel rim by placing the caramel sauce and peanut butter in a medium bowl.

Whisk to combine the sauce. (You want the rim sauce to be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add additional peanut butter if the sauce is too thin.)

Dip shot glasses into the rim sauce and place on a piece of wax paper to rest, rim-side-down, while you make the cocktail.

To make the cocktail, fill a shaker with ice.

Add the peanut butter whiskey, Irish cream liqueur, and ¼ cup of the bacon-infused whiskey to the shaker.

Vigorously shake, then strain into the prepared shot glasses.

Once filled, garnish the glasses with some of the cooked bacon, and serve.

Because you're only using ¼ cup of the bacon-washed whiskey to make the shooter, you'll have ¾ cup (or six ounces) left over. Even though whiskey is typically stored at room temperature, the fat-washing means that you should store it in the refrigerator. Bacon fat, after all, can breed bacteria, so it's best to be on the safe side. Still, when kept chilled, it should last for six months or longer, so there'll be plenty of time to explore different uses for it. One good way to use it is in an Old Fashioned, but it would also taste great in spiked coffee or hot chocolate or a boozy milkshake.

Bacony whiskey is also the kind of thing you might want to use in cooking, as well. Pour some into chili or a stew or use it to marinate a steak or make a steak sauce. It could also help to make vegetables tastier (try it in bourbon-glazed carrots) or add some bacon flavor to a dessert like bourbon pecan pralines.

Although the bacon drippings, once solidified, play no further part in this recipe, there's no reason to throw them out. There are numerous ways to put leftover bacon grease to good use, and any whiskey they may have soaked up will only make them more flavorful. Whiskey-tinged bacon grease would be a tasty way to fry eggs or saute mushrooms or onions. It would also make a great addition to gravy and could be stirred into mashed potatoes or potato salad to add some smoky flavor.

Whiskey-flavored bacon grease would be pretty fantastic in cornbread, too. For an old-fashioned variant on the same theme you could also use them to make johnny cakes. Bacon drippings in their standard form are a secret ingredient that can make your waffles taste incredible, too, so just imagine how much better the flavor would be if it also carried a hint of whiskey. Whiskey and bacon both partner well with chocolate, too, so you could even use the drippings in place of butter for a batch of brownies.