Quick Bite: Hog Wild

Bacon is everywhere these days—from chocolate to cupcakes, mayonnaise (aka Baconnaisse) to gumballs. And while some of these infusions make you go “huh?,” others make perfectly delicious sense. Take the BLT Bloody Mary at Charleston’s newest burger joint/ping-pong bar, Ho¯M.

“I’ve been experimenting with this mix for a long time,” says the restaurant’s beverage consultant, Robbie George. Ho¯M’s homemade Bloody Mary mix includes the usual suspects—horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper—with a few new players, such as A1, KC Masterpiece Barbecue Sauce, and Guinness (to smooth the drink out). But it’s George’s one-of-a-kind bacon-infused vodka that’s really the showstopper. According to the veteran bartender, a five-day infusion process makes for a speedy pour later. After letting the bacon soak in vodka, place your newly created spirit in the freezer for at least two hours. This will freeze out the fat, allowing it to be removed easily using cheesecloth. “You’ll be left with a savory yet subtle bacon flavor that balances out the spiciness and emphasizes the smokiness of the mix,” George says. The result? The ultimate in swine dining—an innovative take on a classic cocktail (non-meat lovers need not apply). Whether for your next brunch, cookout, or headache, whip up some BLT Bloody Marys—complete with a bacon strip stir stick—and prepare to pig out.

BLT Bloody Mary

Ingredients 

1 1/2 oz. bacon-infused
vodka (below)
Bloody Mary mix
1 celery stalk, for garnish
1 lemon slice, for garnish
1 lime slice, for garnish
1 strip cooked bacon, for garnish

Bacon-Vodka Infusion
1 750 mL bottle vodka
12 slices thick-cut bacon
1 1/3 Tbs. organic maple syrup

HoM Bloody Mary Mix
(serves 6)
1 46 oz. can of V8 juice
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/3 Tbs. Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup A1 Steak Sauce
1/4 cup KC Masterpiece Barbecue Sauce
1 1/3 Tbs. horseradish
1/3 Tbs. celery salt
1/4 cup Guinness
1 1/3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. salt
2 tsp. pepper

Directions 

Fill a pint glass with ice. Add bacon-infused vodka. Fill rest of glass with Bloody Mary mix. Top glass with shaker and shake well. Garnish with celery stalk, lemon and lime slices on rim, and strip of bacon. Serve.

Bacon-Vodka Infusion
Cook bacon in a fryer and put in a container, glass preferably. Add maple syrup over bacon. Pour vodka over syrup and bacon. Seal container with an airtight lid and let sit for five days at room temperature..Strain vodka into an empty bottle as many times as necessary to remove larger pieces of fat. Use a cheesecloth to remove remaining fat. Store in a cooler or at room temperature.

HoM Bloody Mary Mix
Combine all ingredients, stir, and store in a sealable container. Refrigerate for five to seven days.