How to Butter-Wash Your Booze (and Booze-Wash Your Butter)

Ingredients

• 8 oz unsalted butter (chilled and grated; or 2-3 oz if using melted brown butter)
• 7 oz liquor (such as bourbon, rum, scotch, or mezcal; enough to cover the butter)

Steps

1. 1

   Grate 8 ounces of chilled butter and place it into a 16-ounce glass jar. If you are using melted bacon fat or brown butter instead of plain butter, use only 2 to 3 ounces as their flavors are more intense.

2. 2

   Add about 7 ounces of your chosen liquor to the jar, or just enough to completely cover the grated butter.

3. 3

   Secure the lid and shake the jar vigorously to combine the ingredients.

4. 4

   Cover the jar and keep it refrigerated for at least 24 hours. During this time, swirl the contents occasionally. Any melted fat used will solidify during this chilling period.

5. 5

   Set a strainer lined with cheesecloth over a bowl. Pour the mixture through the strainer to separate the liquor from the butter.

6. 6

   Press the butter firmly with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.

7. 7

   Scrape the flavored butter from the cheesecloth into an airtight container for storage in the refrigerator.

8. 8

   Transfer the reserved flavored liquor into a sealed jar or bottle. It can be stored indefinitely at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Notes

The butter can be used for frostings, baking, or spreading on radishes. The liquor can be used in cocktails like a Bacon Old-Fashioned or a Godfather. For a more intense flavor, try browning the butter before washing. If using bacon fat, cook the bacon first to render the fat, then mix the liquid fat with the spirit.

Nutrition per serving

• cocktail
• infusion
• technique
• butter
• fat-washing
• keto
• gluten-free