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Bourbon infused bacon

JacksDad
JacksDad Posts: 538
in EggHead Forum

Alright, I'd like to tap all of your collective wisdom... Buddy requested bourbon infused bacon, after he found out I could make my own bacon. You all on this forum are directly responsible for this mess, since I somehow managed to live on store-bought bacon my entire life, until I bought my egg.;)

Anyway, I have a bunch of Ruhlmans dry cure made up already. Was just going to coat a pork belly in the cure and drizzle bourbon over it, but I have no idea how much...? Should I mix just a little into the cure? Or soak the belly in bourbon and cure so that it's sitting in a wet pool of salty alcoholic goodness? 

Plan to cure for a week in the fridge. Then smoke on the egg, unless smoking will completely overpower the bourbon flavor? 

Any and all advice appreciated! 


Large BGE -- New Jersey

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Comments

  • MeTed
    MeTed Posts: 800
    I tried adding Jack Daniels honey bourbon to my maple bacon cure once and it was terrible. 
    Belleville, Michigan

    Just burnin lump in Sumpter
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  • RedSkip
    RedSkip Posts: 1,400
    I'd cure the meat first, then soak in Bourbon

    Large BGE - McDonald, PA
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,878
    RedSkip said:
    I'd cure the meat first, then soak in Bourbon

    Yep, me too.
    NOLA
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  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,974
    edited October 2016
    Would the alcohol denature the meat and screw it up?

    edit - here's a recipe from traeger

    https://www.traegergrills.com/recipes/pork/home-cured-bourbon-bacon
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    Can you eat the bacon and drink the bourbon?
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,836
    Lit said:
    Can you eat the bacon and drink the bourbon?
    Yes
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • Killit_and_Grillit
    Killit_and_Grillit Posts: 4,326
    Stop. You had me at bourbon bacon. 

    Im interested to see the answer. 

    I gotta tell you though, I think the bacon bourbon drink/eat combo isn't terrible. My wife and I went to Telluride a few years ago. When we got to the bottom of the lift there was a little bar that sold bourbon shots with a warm bacon garnish tossed in. Warmed up your insides. I did my next round like a boiler maker in hot chocolate. 

    It was a game changing moment in my life. Baptism. Sex. Marriage. War. Bourbon shot with bacon.

    "Brought to you by bourbon, bacon, and a series of questionable life decisions."

    South of Nashville, TN

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  • tikigriller
    tikigriller Posts: 1,389
    I need to do both in this thread. Make bacon, and then eat said bacon with shot of bourbon. I have done neither but now need to. 
    Just bought an Egg?  Here is what you get to look forward to now:

    Plate Setter, FlameBoss 200, Spider, PSWOO-CI, Additional Rig Shelf for dome cooking, Thermapen, iGrill2, Cast Iron, Blackstone, Cooking Accessories for the Blackstone, Cover for the Egg and the Blackstone, shopping for Rub like a fine wine or IPA, and a new fascination with lump and what brand is the best-all to be debated every Friday Night.  Next desires-Joetisceriie, Adjustable Rig, Grillmates, table and more eggs

    Livermore, California
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  • JacksDad
    JacksDad Posts: 538
    blind99 said:
    Would the alcohol denature the meat and screw it up?

    edit - here's a recipe from traeger

    https://www.traegergrills.com/recipes/pork/home-cured-bourbon-bacon
    @blind99 for the win! 

    I think I'll cure the bacon, and then smoke it brushed with bourbon. 

    I'll post pics of the result. I got a huge pork belly at Costco, but will only use about a quarter of it for this experiment, will cure the rest normally, cause there's no way the kids will like bourbon bacon! 



    (If you look carefully, there's a choice brisket flat hiding under that belly, but that's for another thread!)




    Large BGE -- New Jersey

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  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,986
    JacksDad said:
    blind99 said:
    Would the alcohol denature the meat and screw it up?

    edit - here's a recipe from traeger

    https://www.traegergrills.com/recipes/pork/home-cured-bourbon-bacon


    I think I'll cure the bacon, and then smoke it brushed with bourbon. 




    (If you look carefully, there's a choice brisket flat hiding under that belly, but that's for another thread!)




    Your bellies must sit in the fridge for 1-2 days to form the pellicle post cure. This process is to slightly air dry the surface for smoking. 

    Leaving itvwet and/or brushing it with bourbon when smoking will create a sooty flavor in the meat.  I have read several of these issues happening on smokingmeats.com. 
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    edited October 2016
    There is a restaurant near me that does bacon infused vodka. They cure, smoke and cook the bacon and add it to the vodka. I think it would have an undesirable effect if you did it earlier

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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