Sous Vide Infusions Create More Time for Fun...and You Can Make Your Own Pechuga (Say What?)
Growing up with summer vacations has created an almost instinctual need to spend more time during the summer with friends and family at backyard barbecues and outdoor get-togethers. If you’re over 21, these gatherings we plan and look forward to will involve an adult beverage or two. Often wine and beer end up at the forefront because you can stick them in ice and not worry about getting stuck behind the bar at your own party. That’s fine, however I recommend borrowing from the modern chef’s playbook and using sous vide to create infused cocktails and spirits that will add a memorable and unique beverage experience to your festivities.
Having a sous vide or immersion circulator is the main requirement. Using a sous vide allows for infusions to happen much quicker. What may have taken weeks now takes hours. The ability to control the temperature keeps the flavors fresher. If you measure your ingredients and use the same temperature the outcome will be consistent. Sous vide helps to take the guess work out of infusions. Anything that you put into the sous vide needs to be in a sealed jar or plastic bag. Vacuum bags are the best type of bag because all the air can be removed which allows the mixture to be submerged under water and prevents oxidation. If all the ingredients are not submerged, consistency will be lost, and flavors may not come out the way they were intended. Putting a weight on top of the bag in the sous vide will help keep it submerged. A note of caution: Do not use a temperature above 150ºF when using a sous vide to infuse alcohol. Alcohol evaporates at 173ºF and can cause the container to explode. Safety first! Heat the water before starting any prep work and it should be at temperature by the time everything is ready. Like an oven, the sous vide water needs to be at temperature when the infusion is added. Think of it as cocktail cooking. After the preparation is done, the cocktail or infused spirit is ready to be served while you spend time with your family and friends.
The warm weather and the smoky smells from the grill often lend themselves to agave spirits, like Tequila and Mezcal, that pair well with an array of fresh fruit and juices. Some people are purists and prefer their Mezcal and Tequila with no mixers or additions. That has its place. Sometimes, however, a little mixer or accent is a great way to enjoy an old favorite. After all variety is the spice of life. Adding extra flavor to Mezcal, Tequila or a mixer for a pre-batched cocktail can be a fun way celebrate time with family and or friends.
Below are some fun recipes for infusing agave spirits and mixers and a cocktail with Mezcal in it. Keep in mind that those with juices are best consumed within a week and spirit infusions are at their best within two weeks. In other words, don’t make these too far ahead. Additions can be adjusted and played with to suit the flavor profile you desire. The recipes are rated for difficulty level based on ingredients and prep time. These recipes create subtle additions of flavors that preserve the essence of the Mezcal used. By infusing for longer, or slightly hotter, the flavors can be made stronger. These aren’t your basic flavored vodka level infusions. It’s time to have some creative fun and make your own specialty spirits and pre-batched cocktails so you don’t get stuck behind the bar the next time you have people over. The work will have been done and your guests will be impressed.
Recipe 1: Charred Corn, Black Pepper and Vanilla Infused Mezcal
Difficulty Level: Easy
Yield: 375ml
Ingredients:
• 1 small ear of corn shucked and charred (ideally over an open flame)
• ½ vanilla bean
• 1 tsp cracked black peppercorns (Tellicherry or Mexican Black preferred)
• 375 ml Joven or Reposado Mezcal*
• Vacuum bag or mason jar
Sous Vide Settings:
• Temperature 135ºF
Directions:
• Add all ingredients to the bag or mason jar and seal.
• Place in sous vide at temperature for 3 hours submerged. (May benefit from a weight being place on it.)
• Let rest 1-2 days to help round out the flavors
• Strain through fine mesh sieve, then a paper coffee filter to remove oil and grit
• After straining place in a clean glass container.
Flavor Profile: earthy, toasty, gently spice, dry finish.
*Joven will make the corn more pronounced where Reposado will have enhanced oak aromas and flavors from the vanilla.
How to Enjoy: Designed to be drunk neat with a light chill or served with a large rock.