Question on adding Bourbon flavor to smoked bacon

[kgb1]

I use Pop's curing brine for wet curing my pork belly (for 9 days) before smoking. I would like to try to introduce bourbon into the overall process for the added flavor. So I have a few questions:

1. Which is the best approach: Adding bourbon to the brine during curing, or adding after curing as a glaze while smoking?
2. If in the brine during curing, what would be the correct amount to add to Pop's brine recipe?
3. If after curing, what is a good recipe and method for adding to the belly as it goes into the smoker?

 

[48°North]

Can’t answer your question but I’m curious as well. In the past I have added to the brine with mediocre results. I have not tried adding to the glaze.

 

[Sven Svensson]

I love bourbon and have tried to infuse it in brines and marinades. It never works. I think you’d need it as the main ingredient to have it make any difference. I’ve only ever been able to taste it in glazes and sauces and even then, barely. It’s too delicate a flavor to survive the heat of cooking is my theory.

 

[Nefarious]

I love bourbon and have tried to infuse it in brines and marinades. It never works. I think you’d need it as the main ingredient to have it make any difference. I’ve only ever been able to taste it in glazes and sauces and even then, barely. It’s too delicate a flavor to survive the heat of cooking is my theory.

Then it sounds like the best way is then shot glasses on the side.

 

[Steve H]

I've heard people have had good results with bourbon powder.

 

[bill ace 350]

I have mixed it with maple syrup for a glaze on bacon. Slight taste change.

 

[SmokeyBarks]

Then it sounds like the best way is then shot glasses on the side.

PURE KENTUCKY, if you can find it. 107 proof. Taste is cellared.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Flavors like bourbon or maple as well as others are extremely hard to get to come through on the finish for home producers. Commercially they use other chemicals to bring those flavors. They are fake, but give the buyer that taste. Imparting these flavors at home is pretty much a fools errand. Wish I had better news.

 

[thirdeye]

Maybe experiment with injecting a bourbon mixture during the after-curing (or after brining) rest, before smoking. I know shooting a thinned out maple syrup into cured pork loins before smoking is workable. If fact.... experiment with sections of pork loin since it's much cheaper than a belly.

 

[Newglide]

Haven't done a port belly but I have tried marinades with bourbon and haven't had good results. The best results I have had is to make a glaze with maple, brown sugar and bourbon and used as a finishing glaze and it's worked pretty good on port chops. Can't really say about belly

 

[angryengineer]

I‘ve always wanted to try Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey on bacon. Was planning to cook off the alcohol and maybe concentrate it before adding at the end of the dry cure.

peanut butter + whiskey + bacon should be amazing

 

[noboundaries]

My personal experience is whiskey or bourbon of any type doesn't work in brines. It disappears. I've tried a few times and always thought, "Well, that was a waste of whiskey."

However, it works great in sauces and glazes as long as the other ingredients don't clash with it. Brine savory, glaze sweet works.

 

[OldSmoke]

It never works.

I don’t know about this. I use it in my famous (opinion of one) BBQ sauce, and in my jerky marinade (really famous). I can definitely taste the bourbon. And I do continuous tasting through out the cooking process. Ok, so maybe I am slightly biased.

 

[forktender]

Reduce it by half in a sauce pan at low temp, then add it to the cure bag.

 

[Kevin DeShazo]

I don’t know about this. I use it in my famous (opinion of one) BBQ sauce, and in my jerky marinade (really famous). I can definitely taste the bourbon. And I do continuous tasting through out the cooking process. Ok, so maybe I am slightly biased.

We use bourbon in our turkey brine for Tgiving and it is definitely there as we as thr other brine flavors of orange and black tea.

 

[noboundaries]

I use it ... in my jerky marinade (really famous).

Okay. Picked up 20 lbs of bottom round for $2.98/lb on a 0530 grocery run today. Will use most of it for jerky. It's not bacon, but this thread has inspired me to make whiskey work in a marinade.

 

[noboundaries]

Made a 3 lb batch of beef jerky this morning using a VERY simple Canadian whisky brine/marinade. Used Canadian because that's what I use in sauces. Marinade was whisky (195ml), a little dark brown sugar (45g), a little sea salt (8g), and proper amount of Prague Powder #1 (3g). 15 hours in the marinade.

Patted dry, but surface was still a little moist. Gave each piece a VERY light dusting of a low salt seasoning and Adolph's Meat Tenderizer (forgot to put it in the marinade).

Dried in the oven. Done in 4.5 hours.

Result: Decent flavor, but could not taste whisky, sooooo, guess what I said next.

Good thing Kirkland Canadian is cheap!

Picture makes the jerky look WAAAAY redder than my eye sees, which is dark brown.