Savory Pork Makes For The Ultimate Appetizer Pairing For Your Next Old Fashioned

Like most legacy cocktails, the Old Fashioned's history is as muddled as its perfectly blended ingredients — at least in modern interpretations of the classic drink. But we're not here to argue over what makes an authentic Old Fashioned (mainly because everyone knows it's some combination of whiskey, sugar, and bitters), we're here to convince you to pair your next Old Fashioned with a side of pork. We spoke with Chris Blatner, the Executive Bourbon Steward and creator of the popular Instagram account @‌urbanbourbonist, to find out why savory pork makes for the ultimate culinary companion to an Old Fashioned.

According to Blatner, charred pork belly or rich bacon is the way to go because "the caramelized flavors of the appetizer match the sweetness of the bourbon, while the fat from the pork balances the whiskey's strong, spirit-forward character." If you noticed that Blatner specifically calls out bourbon over whiskey, it's because bourbon brings with it a sweeter, stronger taste. In general, all bourbon is considered to be a type of whiskey, but not all whiskey falls under the bourbon category as that depends on how and where it's manufactured.

As Chris Blatner mentioned, "a crispy pork belly or a glazed bacon appetizer pairs perfectly with an Old Fashioned." If you're going to attempt this feat of pairing perfection at home, we recommend following our smoked Old Fashioned recipe, which uses a smoking top (like this iTayga skull smoker kit on Amazon) to add a little extra smokiness to your cocktail. Then, you'll need to select your savory pork meat of choice. Pork belly can be an intimidating thing to source, let alone cook. If you're attempting to roast it for the first time, be sure to utilize our temperature trick to ensure a crispy skin on slow-roasted pork belly.

If you're not ready to test out your pork belly chops, maple-cinnamon candied bacon will give you the same sweet satisfaction along with that must-have fatty balance. Not feeling loose-bacon-at-the-table as an appetizer? We don't get it. Just kidding, sort of. For a more well-rounded, snackable appetizer, we recommend trying our bacon-wrapped balsamic Brussels sprouts. Not only do you get those glazed meaty flavors, but there are veggies in the dish, so you know it's healthy. Kind of. Sort of.