Vegetarian Alternative to Bacon Grease

[goldblum]

Howdy hounders,

I found a recipe for bacon-infused bourbon and it seems easy enough: add bacon grease to bourbon, freeze, skim fat layer off top, enjoy smoky bacon bourbon. However, my loved ones are vegetarian (I am not), so I'm in a tight spot and thought I'd turn to the Internet for help. Has anyone had any experience in creating a vegetarian alternative to bacon grease? I'm not concerned about the bacon itself, rather the byproduct of cooking it (all that smoky salty grease left in the pan).

At first I thought of melting butter and adding liquid smoke and black pepper, but the thought of a cream base is unappealing. What do you all think about melting crisco in a pan with liquid smoke and black pepper? Would it be acceptably close? Or am I too quick to dismiss the butter?

Just wanted to throw it out there before I start blindly mixing ingredients.

Thanks all!

[MFalk]

I doubt you're going to find an alternative to bacon fat, as besides smoke and pepper, it tastes like pig, which no other fat could replicate. Besides, I don't know how enthused your vegetarian dining companions will be with bacon bourbon if they choose not to eat meat. I suppose that also means you could just horde it all for yourself.

I would highly recommend against using crisco by any means.

[John E.]

The liquid smoke will not work. The bacon works because it's the fat and meat of the bacon that's infused with the smoke. If you just use liquid smoke, even with butter, it will actually mix with the bourbon and not rise to the top to skim off. The bourban will be too smoky. I too don't think a vegatarian would be enthused about a fake bacon flavor. At least it doesn't make sense to me.

[Antilope]

Betty Crocker Bac-o's Bacon Flavor Bits are vegan. I've used them to make a "bacon" gravy to serve over biscuits.

I'm not a vegetarian, I just happened to be out of bacon and craved some bacon gravy over biscuits. ;-) I used butter for the "grease" and added a tablespoon or two of the bacon bits to the gravy as it simmered. It tasted very close to the real thing.

http://www.generalmills.com/~/media/Images/Brands/Nutritional_Images/Betty_Crocker/Bacos/Bacos_Bits-306.ashx

http://www.generalmills.com/home/brands/baking_products/betty_crocker/brand%20product%20list%20page.aspx#{49B65FDD-CB0B-4E77-9536-17F4F3C28007}

http://www.peta.org/accidentallyvegan...

[ipsedixit]

Maybe you could render down some of this stuff http://www.morningstarfarms.com/produ...

[weezycom]

How about cooking some soyrizo and trying that with the bourbon?

[goldblum]

Wise ideas here. I guess the crux of the matter is what will work best to impart a smoky flavor similar to what bacon grease, regardless of whether the byproduct resembles bacon grease. So it's back to the drawing board.

One other question, though. (And I might be way off base here) Does anyone suppose that putting shortening/butter/etc in a metal container and smoking it would be a possibility?

Thanks!

[will47]

You'll not necessarily get a bacony taste, but you could try infusing some lapsang souchong in it for a smokey effect.

[John E.]

Then it tastes like and still does not taste like bacon.

[alkapal]

goodness alive, just buy an islay scotch whisky.

""Islay, a wild island sandwiched between Scotland and Ireland, produces the nation’s most flavorful and aromatic scotches. Filled with smoke and peat, the island’s spirits taste like standing downwind of a barbecue. Laphroaig, which smokes its barley in peat before drying it, thereby imparting a strong smoky flavor, is most representative of the island’s unique taste.""
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles...

[goldblum]

Right right. I've got a bottle of Laphroaig 10 year, and it works well. I've also used a Del Maguey mezcal with similar success. Seems like nothing short of bacon grease and bourbon will work in this case, but I was hoping to opt for a corn-based spirit over a barley (or agave, for that matter) to get close to the intended result.

[alkapal]

what does it '"work well"" in? i'm not sure what you are aiming to do.

[goldblum]

Sorry for being unclear. I meant the Laphroaig is likely to work well as a substitute for the bacon-infused bourbon. It's not quite what I was going for, but if all else fails, it would be an acceptable stand-in.

[alkapal]

i understand that. my question is what are you intending to do with the liquor? just drink it?

[goldblum]

Ah, right! I currently have one year's supply of Vermont grade A medium amber maple syrup, and thought a bacon-infused bourbon would combine well. I have tried a bacon-infused old fashioned at a neighborhood tavern and was interested in creating an equally-tasty vegetarian alternative. It's coincidental that you mention Laphroiag in your previous post, because I did in fact try it in a previous iteration, in addition to several brands of mezcal. I got "close" but was hoping to get "closer." Thanks for your suggestions!

[alkapal]

i do see where the bourbon would combine better with the maple syrup, flavor-wise. that would make a right nice bbq sauce, but then we're back to the pig!
;-).

good luck. i'm glad that i can eat bacon.

[EWSflash]

Good Lord that sounds good, alkapal.

[the_MU]

I might try something like soaking a tablespoon of smoked paprika in a half-cup of the bourbon, straining, and adding the infusion back to the rest of it. Won't taste like bacon but you'll get something smoky and savory. And probably reddish-orange in color.

[biondanonima]

I was going to suggest chipotles - I've fooled a couple of vegetarians into thinking I had used bacon in something when really I had just used chipotles. However, they will introduce a spicy element, which you may not want (although chipotle maple is one of my favorite things EVER).

[helenwaite]

Howdy - I was looking for vgetarian bacon cooking advice and found this topic. Not what I was looking for but so interesting! Now I am gonna have to see abouyt making a Smoky Old-Fashioned, too.

Anyway, even though this is an old topic, I wanted to throw in something that sounded cool and maybe you'd want to try:
"Hickory Smoked Ice: The Smoke Signals Cocktail Experience"
http://www.lighterandlocal.com/2011/0...

Yum!, Maybe.

HW

[hotoynoodle]

wait, bacon isn't a vegetable?

[ferret]

Surprised no one suggested this:

http://www.baconnaise.com/

[John E.]

How will bacon flavored mayo help make bacon flavored bourbon? That just sounds gross.

[LaLa]

they make other products other than the mayo...that is just the company name

[ferret]

I didn't say it would be good, I was just surprised that we're on the topic of vegetarian bacon alternatives and nobody mentioned Baconnaise.

[MGZ]

Smoked sea salt. The fat from the bacon imparts a very limited amount of flavor to the infusion, so the salt alone should do the trick. I can't suggest proportions, but it would seem easy enough to use some trial and error in small quantities.

[MGZ]

Bushwickgirl has a great tip for making smoked salt cheaply & easily at home towards the bottom of this thread:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/811115

[ferret]

The "smoked" part I get, but you'd also be adding "salt" to the bourbon - which is just a bad, bad idea.

If the goal is to just add smoke then liquid smoke (which also contains tiny amounts of vinegar and molasses) would be a far better solution. Or maybe just the smoking gun:

http://www.cuisinetechnology.com/the-...

[MGZ]

I have only tasted bacon-infused bourbon once. I did so neat and could discern a bit of saltiness in addition to a more significant amount of smokiness. I assumed that that was the by-product of the bacon grease and an intentional element. It kinda worked with the bourbon's inherent sweetness. I agree that there is certainly a potential for oversalting, hence the suggestion for a trial and error approach. Frankly, I'd be willing to experiment with a few grains in a shot or two, but it would probably be more prudent to have some other tasters around.