Who doesn’t love the instinctively recognizable scent of smoke? Think of char-grilled steaks and sausages, sticky ribs and fork-tender brisket. Smoky food is the very definition of comfort food.
And although we don’t cook out over an open flame as much as we used to, smoke is still part of our cooking traditions. Now, if you like smoky food, wait until you quench your thirst with a smoky cocktail.
With the help of a smoking gun, bartenders and mixologists have added smoke to their repertoire, and it’s hard to argue that smoke-infused libations are not some of the most exciting today. Here are three cocktails you can smoke at home with a TMKEFFC Smoking Gun.
1. Applewood Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned is one of the oldest cocktails in the books, but it is one of the trendiest! Both Bourbon and Rye Whiskey are ideal for making this straightforward but sophisticated drink, and applewood smoke takes it to another level.
To make this cocktail, transfer the contents of a Bourbon or Rye whiskey bottle into a decanter. With a TMKEFFC Smoker Gun and two pinches of applewood wood chips, fill the decanter with smoke, cover it with film, stir gently and let it sit overnight.
Once you’re ready to mix an Old Fashioned, dissolve a sugar cube with a few drops of bitters and a splash of water in a rocks glass, place a large ice cube, and add two ounces of applewood-infused whiskey.
2. Mesquite & Apple Cider Margarita
Let’s add a smoky scent and an apple flavor to everyone’s favorite Mexican cocktail, the Margarita. This time, we’ll smoke the cocktail individually to add an extra wow factor that’ll swoon your guests off their feet.
To make this cocktail, fill a rocks glass with ice and pour 1.5 ounces of Tequila. Add an ounce of lime juice and another one of orange liqueur or triple sec. Stir to combine. Use a Smoker Gun and mesquite wood chips to fill the glass with smoke. Use a smoke infuser cup lid to prevent the smoke from escaping.
Once you’re ready to serve, remove the lid, and pour two ounces of sparkling apple cider into the glass and through the smoke. Serve immediately and enjoy.
3. Hickory, Honey and Bacon-Bourbon Cocktail
This extraordinary cocktail brings together hickory smoke and bacon, a classic combo, this time in a drink. To make this cocktail, you’ll need to do some prep work: infusing your favorite Bourbon with bacon fat.
Fry a few bacon strips and make yourself a sandwich — don’t throw away the fat! Combine a quarter cup of bacon grease with an entire bottle of Bourbon. Let it cool until manageable and pour it along with the Bourbon into a container with a lid. Stir and let it sit for three days in the fridge. The bacon grease will solidify and rise to the surface. Remove the bacon grease and strain the Bourbon. Now you’re ready to fix yourself one smoky drink.
Pour two ounces of bacon-infused Bourbon into a rocks glass and sweeten with a tablespoon of honey. Stir to combine and fill the glass with ice. Fit an infuser cup lid on the glass and, with the help of a smoking gun and a teaspoon of hickory wood chips, infuse the drink with smoke. Serve while still smoky!
