Benton’s-Inspired Bacon-Washed Bloody Mary

Before entering culinary school, I remember being absolutely fascinated by Allen
Benton in Tennessee who makes some incredibly smoky bacon, thick-cut–
obviously. It was one of the more smoky bacons I had ever encountered—he also
makes smoked country ham which is delicious, and very smoky and salty.

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Benton's-Inspired Bacon-Washed Bloody Mary

Before entering culinary school, I remember being absolutely fascinated by Allen

Benton in Tennessee who makes some incredibly smoky bacon, thick-cut--

obviously. It was one of the more smoky bacons I had ever encountered—he also

makes smoked country ham which is delicious, and very smoky and salty.

I would order the bacon in vacuum-sealed one-pound packages, and it would come

shipped to you. I ordered maybe ten pounds at a time, and it would last for a few

months in the fridge with no problems. It was a culinary revelation, in terms of

mentally connecting better ingredients to better finished dishes. At the time, I was

using this product primarily for beans, and bean-related dishes. I’m still obsessed

with beans.

The same principle with relying on high-quality ingredients applies to cocktails.

Enter: the Benton’s Bacon-Washed Bloody Mary.

Ingredients

• 2 slices Benton’s bacon (thick-cut)
• 2.5 oz vodka
• 6 oz Bloody Mary mix of choice
• 3 dashes Tabasco hot sauce
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters
• 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• A dash of celery salt
• Juice from ¼ fresh lemon
• 2 pitted olives (on a toothpick with a fresh lemon slice)

Instructions 

• Cook the bacon until crispy in a pan, set the bacon aside to drain on paper towels, and reserve the extra bacon fat.
• Add the bacon fat to a shaker tin with the vodka, Bloody Mary mix, Tabasco,
• Angostura bitters, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, and lemon juice.
• Dry shake the mixture for thirty seconds, or until well-mixed.
• Pour the contents into a pint glass filled with ice, and serve with a garnish of two pitted olives on a toothpick with a lemon slice, along with the two slices of cooked crispy bacon inserted into the drink.