Use Bacon For Easy-To-Make Fat-Washed Old Fashioneds At Home

Usually, you wouldn't think that something called a "fat-washed Old Fashioned" would be pleasant in any way, shape, or form — but if you're a whiskey enthusiast, you'll know that fat-washing it is one of the best ways to add a whole new level of sophisticated flavors to a good Old Fashioned. With the already rich flavors of whiskey mixing with the lush indulgence of the fat infusion without any greasiness, it's a must-have anytime you go to a bar that stocks fat-washed whiskey for these elevated cocktails. 

But the best part is, you don't need to go to some fancy and modern bar to get your fix of a fat-washed cocktail. While fat-washing might sound like an advanced mixology technique, all you really need is a quality bottle of whiskey, a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth, and a couple of strips of bacon. It won't take more than a few hours of cooking and prep to net yourself a nice bottle of bacon-washed whiskey. While the process might take a bit of patience, you'll probably find it's well worth the effort. Having a bottle of fat-washed whiskey on hand is delightful in more ways than one. Not only can you make specialty Old Fashioneds anytime you want, but you'll also find that it's a surprisingly elegant addition to amplify the rich flavors of ramen.

The first thing you'll want to do is pick your preferred type of whiskey. While you'll find that bourbon is the preferred choice for fat-washed Old Fashioneds, nothing is stopping you from pursuing your personal favorite to upgrade in the process. Once you have your whiskey, pick out a glass jar or bottle to hold the whiskey and bacon fat, then clear out enough space in your freezer to fit said container safely for anywhere from a few hours to overnight. The amount of bacon you'll need will vary depending on how fatty it is and how much whiskey you're infusing, but most recipes online will instruct you to obtain anywhere from 1 to 2 ounces of bacon fat for a standard-size bottle of whiskey — or, in lieu of exact measurements, whatever fat you can get from 6-10 strips of bacon. The best way to render bacon fat is to go low and slow with the bacon, melting out as much of the smoky fat as possible before the bacon gets crispy. 

Once you have the bacon fat, add it to the liquid in your chosen container. Let it sit at room temperature for a few hours to soak up the flavors, then put it in the freezer so that the bacon fats will freeze solid while the bourbon remains liquid. After that, it's just a matter of breaking up the frozen fat and straining the mixture through the finest strainer you have on hand, whether a fine-mesh coffee filter, a cheesecloth, or a combination of the two.

The tricky part is that recipes will also vary significantly on how much time you let the infusion sit at room temperature before it goes in the freezer. Some will say that you should infuse for a few hours before freezing overnight so all the bacon fat is totally solid, while others say that the infusion should take place overnight while the freezing is just to chill the mixture. Unfortunately, you might have to experiment to see what works best for you — when in doubt, work in small batches so you're not wasting an entire bottle of whiskey. 

The catch to fat-washing whiskey is that, while it doesn't take much skill or experience, it strictly requires patience to produce the best results. Trying to wrap up the process too early means that you're either cutting into how much flavor the whiskey can absorb from the bacon fat, risking bits of bacon fat sneaking into your final product because it wasn't solidified enough, or both. Staying patient and holding yourself back from rushing the process out of eagerness is essential.