What to drink with hot dogs: old-fashioned made with bacon-infused bourbon

A staple of summer barbecues and lunch carts, the hot dog usually gets washed down with a beer or soda. And sometimes that's what a tube of processed meat squashed into a bun and slathered in ketchup demands.

But in this era of artisanal everything, upscale dogs with gourmet toppings - such as manchego cheese and garlic or bacon and avocado - a fancy cocktail may be a better match.

Jim Meehan is a managing partner at PDT cocktail bar in New York, which serves gourmet hot dogs created by famous chefs - such as the Chang Dog: a bacon-wrapped, deep-fried dog topped with David Chang's Momofuku kimchi.

Meehan prefers to drink a pale ale while eating his hot dog, but suggests a bacon-infused bourbon cocktail as a liquid appetizer.

The Benton's Old-Fashioned is bacon-infused bourbon with bitters and maple syrup poured over a single large ice cube with an orange twist. The hint of bacon bolsters the hot dog and the maple syrup, offering a sweetness to balance the salt.

"I see our hot dogs as a foil for the cocktails," Meehan says. "By being the opposite, they complement each other well."

"It's all about the contrast," he says. "The hot dog is something we all grew up with. As a host, offering a cocktail or even champagne allows you to be fancy and posh, but lets people know we aren't taking ourselves that seriously."

The recipe from PDT for making bacon-infused bourbon involves simmering a bottle of bourbon with bacon fat, then letting it cool and straining out the solids. This streamlined version uses strips of cooked bacon, and makes a more moderate two servings.

Benton's Old-Fashioned

Ice

60 ml (2 oz) bacon-infused bourbon (see recipe below)

7 ml ( 1/4 oz) maple syrup

2 dashes angostura bitters

Twist of orange

In a mixing glass filled halfway with ice, combine all ingredients. Stir, then strain into a tumbler with one large ice cube. Garnish with a twist of orange.

Makes 1 serving.

Source: Recipe from PDT cocktail bar in New York.

-

Bacon-Infused Bourbon

2 strips warm cooked bacon, chopped

125 ml (4 oz) bourbon

In a small bowl, combine bacon, any fat that collected in the pan during cooking and bourbon. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until fat solidifies on surface of bourbon.

Remove and discard fat on surface, then line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and strain bourbon. If not using immediately, refrigerate.

Source: Recipe adapted from PDT cocktail bar in New York.

-

Manchego Cheese and Garlic Dogs

2 heads garlic, top 1 cm ( 1/2 inch) cut off

25 ml (5 tsp) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

125 ml ( 1/2 cup) diced jarred roasted red peppers

15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley

Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

6 grilled all-beef hot dogs

6 grilled hot dog buns or other bread or rolls

125 ml ( 1/2 cup) grated manchego cheese

Sherry wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

Heat oven to 200 C (400 F).

Place each head of garlic, cut side up, on a square of foil. Drizzle each with 5 ml (1 tsp) oil, then wrap foil up around garlic. Place packets on oven rack and roast until garlic is tender, about 45 minutes. Open packets and let cool for 15 minutes.