Bourbon Recipe

Crisp the bacon

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on the rack. Bake 12–18 minutes until deep golden and crisp (timing depends on thickness). Remove and transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat; discard excess.

Slice and crumble

When cool enough to handle, roughly chop or crumble 6 of the bacon slices for topping. Reserve 2 whole slices for garnish or additional layering.

Sauté the onions

While bacon bakes, thinly slice the yellow onion. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tsp neutral oil plus 1 tbsp reserved bacon fat and 1 tbsp unsalted butter. Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10–12 minutes until softened and beginning to caramelize. Reduce heat to low to keep warm.

Cook garlic and deglaze

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, add 1 tsp of the reserved bacon fat (or 1 tsp oil if none). Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Carefully add the bourbon (60 ml) to deglaze the pan. If concerned about flames, remove the pan from heat before adding alcohol. Let the bourbon reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Simmer the sauce

Add the brown sugar, chicken stock (120 ml), apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, black pepper and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and the liquid reduces slightly.

Thicken and finish

In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water to make a slurry. Slowly whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce. Cook 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy, spoon-coating consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning (add up to 1/2 tsp more sugar or a pinch more salt if desired). Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat broiler (or oven to 230°C/450°F) if you’ll melt cheese under direct heat. Position oven rack 6–8 inches from the broiler element.

If serving on a sandwich or burger: place the base (bun or burger patty) on a sheet pan or oven-safe skillet. Spoon a generous layer of the bourbon sauce over the surface where the cheese will go (about 1–2 tablespoons per sandwich).

Distribute the sautéed onions evenly over the sauced surface. Top with the crumbled bacon pieces. Shingle or pile the Monterey Jack (6 oz total) over the toppings so it will melt evenly.

Place under the broiler for 1–3 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted and slightly bubbling and edges just begin to brown. Alternatively, bake at 230°C (450°F) for 3–5 minutes until melted.

Remove from oven and spoon an additional 1 teaspoon of bourbon sauce over the melted cheese for extra gloss and flavor. Garnish with the reserved whole bacon slices if desired. Serve immediately.