Butter And Bourbon? This DIY Trick Is A Flavor Bomb For Both Food And Drink

If you're a cocktail nerd, or have spent enough time watching videos about them, you might have come across something known as fat washing. This is a little-known technique that's been around for years, and is a bartender's secret weapon. So, if you're looking for a way to upgrade your cocktails, listen up. 

Fat washing is a way of infusing spirits with fat, such as butter or even freshly rendered beef tallow, by combining them, letting the flavors mingle, then chilling the mix so the hardened fat can be removed. While you can fat wash pretty much any spirit, it works particularly well with bourbon. While butter and bourbon might sound like the start of a Southern brunch rather than ingredients in a cocktail, fat washing your bourbon leaves you with a drink that tastes infinitely more complex, with a smoother, richer mouthfeel and an indulgent depth of flavor. It's perfect for making the ultimate at-home old fashioned. But there's another perk: You don't just end up with delicious, buttery whiskey. Once you separate the fat from the booze, you're left with a gorgeously spiced bourbon-infused butter that you can use for pretty much anything, from cooking to baking to finishing next-level steaks and vegetables.

Though this trick might seem like some form of bartender's alchemy, it's shockingly simple to do. All it takes are some basic ingredients and a little patience to turn an everyday bottle of bourbon and a stick of butter into some truly exciting (and delicious) ingredients. You start with the bourbon, of course. While you don't need to go too fancy here (the fat washing does an awful lot to improve the whiskey's flavor and texture), aim to get a good-quality bottle to really make this worth the time and effort. After all, the flavor of your whiskey infuses the butter; the better the booze, the tastier the result. Once you've chosen a bottle, grab yourself some good-quality butter. You can use salted or unsalted, but the latter gives you a more versatile flavor profile and avoids introducing any unwelcome salty notes to your bourbon.

The first step is melting the butter. This is crucial for letting it properly mix with the bourbon so all those flavors infuse. If you fancy taking things up a notch, take the butter past the point of foaming to make a nutty, luxurious brown butter bourbon. Once the butter's fully melted, pour it into a Mason jar or pitcher with the bourbon and stir to combine. After leaving the mixture at room temperature for a while, chill overnight. This lets you easily remove the butter, which rises to the top of the mixture and solidifies. Once removed, strain the bourbon through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. The resulting drink is silky smooth, slightly cloudy, and has a subtle buttery flavor. Delicious.

Once you've fat washed your bourbon, the world really is your oyster when it comes to how you use it. The mind naturally wanders to cocktails, and though this silky, complex liquor is delicious neat or on the rocks, it's here where it really shines. Use it in place of your regular bourbon in an old fashioned for some extra depth and a luxurious mouthfeel, or mix it into a Manhattan to soften the spiciness of vermouth. It makes for a rich addition to hot toddies or even Irish coffees and adds a wonderful nutty element to cocktail bar favorites, such as boulevardiers or paper planes.

When it comes to food, the infused butter you're left with is a true star ingredient. Perhaps its finest use is finishing dishes, especially grilled meats such as steak or pork chops. The spicy, vanilla notes of the bourbon complement the savory depth of a great piece of grilled meat perfectly, and truly elevate your steak night. If you're feeling particularly ambitious, repurpose the fat by coating a cut of beef with it before dry ageing it for a truly unique flavor that should have you questioning why you ever prepared steak any other way.

It's not just delicious on meat. Whether melted over roasted carrots, squashes, or sweet potatoes, or even whipped into a pancake, brownie, or cornbread batter to give your bakes a boozy edge, it's a surprisingly versatile ingredient that's sure to earn you a compliment or two. Whatever you make, you have the perfect drink to pair it with!