Infused alchohol's

 So I've been experimenting with different infused alcohol's lately. They've been turning out very well and I thought I'd share some ideas. I've been using my sous vide set up to do a speedy version of the infusions. You can get a finished product in 2 hours vs. a month or more at room temp. If you are able to sous vide, set your machine up for 145 degrees in a big enough container to submerge the quart jar. All of these recipes are based on 90 - 120 minutes cook time. If you don't have a sous vide, room temp for 4 weeks, shaking the jar up every day. Here's what I've been doing:

My favorite so far

1 ripe pineapple, peeled and chunked

Vodka

1 quart mason jar, sterilized

add the pineapple to the jar

fill with vodka to 1" from the rim

close it up, and in to the water bath at no more than 145 degrees

for 90- 120 minutes.

pull it out, cool it down, strain the pineapple chunks and chill

Once the chunks are drained, put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer and freeze.

Bag and tag the chunks in the freezer and save for drink garnish

I keep the vodka in the freezer

1 or two ripe grapefruit, washed and cleaned

Vodka

1 quart mason jar

I used one grapefruit, and it was ok. I think 1 1/2 - 2 would be better

Zest the entire grapefruit with a zester. Just the zest, no white pith.

I zest on to wax paper so you don't lose any of the zest.

Fill the mason jar with the zest and add vodke to 1" from the rim.

In to the water bath as above, 145 for 90-120 minutes

Cool it and strain the zest out before you put it in the freezer.

If it's a little bitter ( like me! ) add some simple syrup to take the edge off

1 or 2 serrano chile's

Vodka

1 quart mason jar

Wash and split the serrano's

add to the mason jar and fill with vodka to 1" from the rim

seal and add to the water bath

Same cook time / temp as above

Pull the chile's out and strain any seeds out

cool and chill in the freezer

Makes awesome Bloody Mary's

If you'd like a little less heat, use one chile

If you just want a little chile flavor and not much heat, seed the chile's first

We had a bartender teach us this one once. He called it Satan's Urine, and the name stuck

1 or two serrano chile's

Good quality tequilla

1 quart mason jar

add the chile's to the mason jar

cover with tequilla

seal the jar and cook as above

remove the serrano's after cooking

strain the tequilla of any seeds

cool and add to the freezer

Makes for really good frozen shots or,

the best spicy margarita you've ever had.

Give these a try. What's the worst that could happen?

My next attempt is going to be some Holiday Shrub spiced rum. I'll let you know how that one goes.