Bacon and eggs . . . it's not just for breakfast anymore. And you don't necessarily have to chew it either.
Don't worry, no one is going to force you to swallow fried eggs and crispy bacon without the benefit of using your choppers first. Nor are they going to throw your breakfast in a blender and liquefy it into odd savory smoothy.
No, but you can drink your bacon in eggs . . . in a cocktail! This recipe uses bacon infused bourbon (I infuse my own: Method 1, Method 2) and Advocaat which is a Brandy and Egg Liqueur (good in coffee, too).
Bacon and Eggs Cocktail
1 Part Bacon Infused Bourbon
1 Part Advocaat Liqueur
Pour bourbon and Advocaat into an ice filled cocktail shaker.
Shake, shake, shake.
Strain into a cocktail glass or serve over the rocks.
Garnish with a strip of bacon, if desired.
I've tried two different methods of infusing bourbon with bacon . . . with distinctly different results. Both tasted like bacon of course but this method is a much more baconny flavor. The recipe below imparts a more subtle bacon but smokier taste. I like them both a lot, they each have wonderful qualities so it's hard to decide which I prefer.
Bacon Infused Bourbon
1/2 cup of rendered bacon fat
4 cups of bourbon
Cook a pound of bacon. Eat the bacon and reserve the rendered fat
Add a 1/2 cup of hot fat to a jar and allow to cool but not solidify.
Once the bacon fat has cooled off a bit add the bourbon.
Seal and allow to stand until it reaches room temperature.
Place the jar in the freezer for 24 hours.
The fat will solidify but the bourbon will remain in a liquid state.
Open the jar and pour off the bourbon, straining through a coffee filter or cheesecloth to remove any loose fat particles. (I used a nylon stocking as a strainer).
Transfer to another jar or bottle for storage.
I made this cocktail with my homemade bacon infused bourbon.
It's a little salty, a little smoky, a little sweet . . . interesting and complex. Delish!
Bacon Infused Bourbon Old Fashioned
2 Oz. Bacon Infused Bourbon
1 or 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
1/4 Ounce Real Maple Syrup
Orange Peel for Garnish
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add bourbon, bitters, and maple syrup.
Give it a few good shakes.Twist the orange peel over the cocktail and then drop it in.
Enjoy!
Print Recipe
Plan B, a local restaurant that specializes in burgers, beer and bourbon, is celebrating their one year anniversary. And they're going hog wild! Literally! They are celebrating with bacon . . . it's Bacon Week! On special this week is “The Divine Swine” aka “Drop Dead Burger,” (100% ground bacon burger topped w/ thick sliced bacon, bacon aioli, bourbon bacon red onion jam, and a fried egg all sandwiched in between a grilled cheese) to Bacon Candy Bars, Bacon Cotton Candy, and Bacon infused Bourbon cocktails . . . and more.
I like bacon . . . who doesn't? So, a visit to Plan B to celebrate their anniversary was a must. I didn't try everything . . . that would be completely gluttonous and I might have fallen into a bacon induced coma. I did, however, sample a few baconny items. AND a few of their ever rotating taps . . . alas, no bacon beer.
I started out with a finger of Woodford Reserve bacon infused bourbon. The bourbon itself is nice, smooth and warming. The infusion definitely added a subtle baconness that wasn't the least bit detracting. It was a little smoky with a nice hint of bacon. All in all . . . quite good.
I ordered the Divine Swine burger for my meal with a side of green fries (flash fried green beans). Was this burger over the top? Completely! But I guess that's kind of the point. Every bite of this burger screams BACON! If you love bacon, as I do, this is something you'll want to try once in your life. It was good but would I order it again? Mmm . . . probably not . . . I think I gained five pounds just thinking about it!
The beer at Plan B is always good . . . they are constantly rotating their taps so there's always something new to try. This week's list was impressive and it was tough to choose what I wanted to try. I sampled thee different beers and I wasn't disappointed with any of them.
I started out with a Raging Bitch from Flying Dog. Basically, because I can pretty much relate to the name. Well, that and because it's an IPA. Raging Bitch is a strong Belgian style IPA (8.3% ABV). Amber in color with a loose, bubbly head that laces the glass with every sip. This is a very tasty beer with an expected amount of hoppy citrus, a surprising hint of caramel and a nice crisp finish. Despite the alcohol level I didn't taste any booziness . . . just a delicious beer that I would definitely go for again!
With that crazy bacon burger, I had a Coney Island Mermaid Pilser from Shmaltz Brewing Company. Wow! Very nice! This pilser is a light (5% ABV) and exceptionally drinkable beer. It tasted of malty caramel, fruit, a hint of hops and . . . rye. None of these elements overpowered another . . . it is a nice balanced beer that goes down easy and simply tastes great. Go for it!
At our server's suggestion we ordered a bottle of Stoudt's Fat Dog Imperial Oatmeal Stout. He said it was of the best stouts he has ever drank . . . who can argue with a recommendation like that? The beer was as
black and dark as beer gets. There were clear coffee, chocolate and malt flavors . . . as I expect from an imperial stout. This is a big beer . . . it is strong (9% ABV) and dark . . . but it is also fairly smooth tasting and very flavorful. You can taste the alcohol but it doesn't take away from the overall taste or experience of the beer. I would say this is a great beer for anyone who appreciates a good, strong stout.
Bacon and eggs . . . it's not just for breakfast anymore. And you don't necessarily have to chew it either. 
