[Andrew Fenton]

Over the years, I've tried various sorts of infusions, with vodka and other liquors. Fruit and herb-infused are the best known, and are often wonderful. But what I like is meat. Where's the infusion for people like me? I felt disenfranchised, and alone, especially after some research on the interwebs revealed a real lack of meat-based liqueurs. It would be up to me to blaze the trail.

I decided that a hot dog based infusion would work best. Not as assertive as chorizo, but bolder than pork chops or steak; in addition, the preservatives in the dogs would lend themselves to prolonged infusion. With that in mind, I began with fine all-beef franks:



Added them to 100-proof Smirnoff vodka and let them infuse in a large jar for five weeks. The hot dogs haven't colored the vodka in the way that lemon zest or berries do, just a slight discoloration:



After infusion, I made sure to squeeze the dogs well and strain them through a cheesecloth, to release all the essential oils and lipids. The resulting weeniecello is delicious served straight up, whether ice-cold from the freezer or slightly warm. It has a fine beefy taste, with a hint of salt and gentle spiciness that lends itself to pairings with nachos or buffalo wings.

I've also come up with a couple of cocktail recipes.

The Weenie-Tini
3 oz weeniecello
1 oz dry vermouth
splash of sauerkraut brine

Garnish with a slice of frankfurter.



Because of an irrational fear of cone-shaped things, I've served the Weenie-Tini on the rocks rather than strained. Others could of course serve it straight up in a stemmed glass. Either way, the Weenie-Tini has a richness and subtle beefiness not to be found in traditional vegetarian cocktails.

VARIATION: serve in a shot glass. This is the Eenie-Weenie-Tini.

Here's another cocktail.

Take Me Out To The Ballgame
2.5 oz weeniecello
1.0 oz peanut liqueur

Dust the rim with dry mustard and garnish with boiled peanuts. (An experiment with Cracker Jacks led to sogginess and tears that not even the free prize could cure.)



This is a good cocktail to drink while relaxing in front of the TV while watching wrestling, reality TV, or (of course) baseball. It's a drink with wide appeal:



As you can see, the meatiness of the weeniecello drove my cats wild! It makes good cocktails for pets; for example, I added a few spoonfuls to their kibble to make a rich gravy. They seemed to appreciate it.

Next up, I'm interested in experimenting with cheese infusions... Velveetinis, anybody?

[Luckylies]

YOU ARE MY HERO.
MY KING.
EL REY.

[mrbigjas]

OH MAN.


andrew. i.... i'm speechless.

[philadining]

Andrew, I think this is an important step in the under-explored realm of savory cocktails. Thanks for doing the careful research. And please report back on the cheesey drinks.

But while you're in the groove, do you think this would work with different sausages, or preserved meats? It seems like only a small tweak could get us a BratHattan, or maybe some Slim Jim experiments could produce a killer Jerquiri.

Any advice, some guidance on what worked and didn't for you?

[docsconz]

Are you looking for investors?

[Joe Blowe]

I urge you to reconsider the chorizo!

[maggiethecat]

You are a smart man with WAY too much time on your hands. Hotdogs and vodka, two of my least favorite things. But I love the garnish, love the sceptical cat.

Cubs or Sox?

[slbunge]

Andrew Fenton, on Aug 14 2006, 08:00 PM, said:

After infusion, I made sure to squeeze the dogs well and strain them through a cheesecloth, to release all the essential oils and lipids.  The resulting weeniecello is delicious served straight up, whether ice-cold from the freezer or slightly warm.  It has a fine beefy taste, with a hint of salt and gentle spiciness that lends itself to pairings with nachos or buffalo wings.

Perhaps, because of flamability, it would not have been a good idea...but did you grill one post-soak and dress it up in a bun with fixins?

Nice work.

[Andrew Fenton]

philadining, on Aug 14 2006, 10:09 PM, said:

But while you're in the groove, do you think this would work with different sausages, or preserved meats?  It seems like only a small tweak could get us a BratHattan, or maybe some Slim Jim experiments could produce a killer Jerquiri.

Any advice, some guidance on what worked and didn't for you?

Phil, thanks for your interest. The road to weeniecello was a long and arduous one, beginning at a barbecue, and an amazing hamburger. It was big, it was greasy, it was dripping. It was fantastic, but I had to use two hands to eat it. I was standing there, eating this delicious burger, and I thought, this is great. Except that I have to put my drink down to eat it. So while I'm getting fatter, I'm not getting any drunker. You can see the dilemma. So it was at that point that I decided to combine these two great tastes that go so great together.

Extensive testing determined that hamburger is not a very good candidate for infusion. The dream of the Hambellini died on the vine that day, and the cats got the vodkaburger.

The logical direction was highly processed meat products. Unfortunately, the Spamhattan won't come to fruition; too greasy, too salty, too loose and floaty. The cats got that too. (By the way, have you ever seen a hung over cat? They just lie around with their paws over their eyes, mewing. It's kind of sad, actually.)

So hot dogs (firm! flavorful! fantastic!) are where is for now. But I'm hopeful for the future of the Cheesetequila.

This post has been edited by Andrew Fenton: 14 August 2006 - 07:43 PM

[mrbigjas]

Andrew Fenton, on Aug 14 2006, 10:43 PM, said:

The logical direction was highly processed meat products.  Unfortunately, the Spamhattan won't come to fruition; too greasy, too salty, too loose and floaty.  The cats got that too. 

good thinking on your part. i assume you've seen the quest for the ultimate pork martini?

Quote

(By the way, have you ever seen a hung over cat?  They just lie around with their paws over their eyes, mewing.  It's kind of sad, actually.)

see that's where you go ahead and indulge them with the wet food--the crunching of kibble just exacerbates the headache, when you have a brain the size of a walnut. and a little hair of the dog--no seriously, i mean actual hair from an actual dog.

This post has been edited by mrbigjas: 14 August 2006 - 08:13 PM

[rlibkind]

Andrew, I hope you plan to extend your experiment to include cocktail franks.

[The Old Foodie]

The very old version of this idea is "Cock Ale" - I have some old recipes at home and can post them if anyone is interested - it might inspire some further ideas. Basically it consisted of soaking an old rooster in alcohol for some time (and throwing away the rooster) - and it was supposed to have restorative powers. Samuel Pepys drank it.

It is good to see an old custom revived!

I'll watch your progress with interest!

Janet.

[maggiethecat]

Quote

By the way, have you ever seen a hung over cat? They just lie around with their paws over their eyes, mewing. It's kind of sad, actually.

Jeez, have you checked out Maggie on Sunday morning? And have you considered a sliced cornichon swizzler? We in Chicago demand relish in our Weinertinis.

[ThinkingBartender]

The Old Foodie, on Aug 14 2006, 08:36 PM, said:

The very old version of this idea is "Cock Ale" - I have some old recipes at home and can post them if anyone is interested - it might inspire some further ideas.  Basically it consisted of soaking an old rooster in alcohol for some time (and throwing away the rooster) - and it was supposed to have restorative powers. Samuel Pepys drank it.

Hi Janet,

I would love to know more about this "Cock Ale". Thanks.

I recently "discovered" a newspaper article from 1855 which featured a brandy rooster tail and a gin rooster tail. I thought that they were just being polite.


George

[The Old Foodie]

ThinkingBartender, on Aug 15 2006, 09:17 PM, said:

I would love to know more about this "Cock Ale". Thanks.
I recently "discovered" a newspaper article from 1855 which featured a brandy rooster tail and a gin rooster tail. I thought that they were just being polite.
George

Here are a couple of recipes to get you thinking:

1. From: “The Closet Of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby Kt. Opened”, 1677

To make Cock-Ale
Take eight gallons of Ale, take a Cock and boil him well; then take four pounds of Raisins of the Sun well stoned, two or three Nutmegs, three or four flakes of Mace, half a pound of Dates; beat these all in a Mortar, and put to them two quarts of the best Sack: and when the Ale hath done working, put these in, and stop it close six or seven days, and then bottle it, and a month after you may drink it.

2. From:” Pharmacopoeia extemporanea : or, a body of prescripts. In which forms of select remedies, accommodated to most intentions of cure, are propos'd ..”. Thomas Fuller; 1710

Pectoral Ale.
Take roots of China 4 ounces; Sarfa, Comfrey, Liquorice, each 2 ounces; Orris, Elecampane, each 1 ounce; Shavings of Ivory, Hartshorn, Sanders yellow and red, each half an ounce; Herbs Harts-tongue, Wall-Rue, Ground-Ivy, Scabious, each 4 handfuls; Anniseed 2 ounces; Raisins half a pound: Prepare all for 4 gallons.
It may be made Cock-Ale, by adding a Cock parboil'd, bruis'd and cut into pieces. It sweetens the Acrimony of the blood and humours, incites clammy phlegm, facilitates expectoration, invigorates the lungs, supplies soft nourishment, and is very profitable even in a consumption itself, if not too far gone.

Cock-ale was a bit of a cure-all, a bit of the hair of the dog - which is often what Samuel Pepys used it for. One bit of folklore says that this drink was given to fighting cocks to make them more aggressive - I dont know how much truth there is in that. Another theory is that this is the origin of the word "cocktail" - but that must be the most disputed word in bartending history.

I'm not sure at what time this stopped being a drink-remedy, but I'll look up some more old books and see what I can find.

Janet

This post has been edited by The Old Foodie: 15 August 2006 - 05:44 AM

[freshherbs]

love the weeniecello!

you should consider mixing some with the liqueur called Kummel. it tastes just like rye bread. you could make the first corned beef and rye cocktail. rim it with coarse mustard seed and you've got a cocktail fit for my grandpa.

[slkinsey]

Hee! Kudos, Andrew.

This reminds me a little of the "pickled hot dogs" that my mother used to make every so often back in the 70s using miniature hot dogs. Tell us about the drunken weenies? Do you think they would be good slapped on the grill and served alongside a Weenietini?

My mother also used to make pickled lamb's tongues, which would be an interesting experiment in vodka.

A cured venison sausage might be good in gin.

[Andrew Fenton]

maggiethecat, on Aug 14 2006, 11:36 PM, said:

  And have you considered a sliced cornichon swizzler? We in Chicago demand relish in our Weinertinis.

You know, I experimented with using sweet pickle relish with the weeniecello. When I had the neighbors over for a tasting, we agreed that the resulting cocktail ("Franks for the Memories") was too sweet. The only person who liked it was their son. But he's fourteen, so what do you expect? A cornichon would make for a more sophisticated drink, I agree.

[eje]

The Old Foodie, on Aug 14 2006, 07:36 PM, said:

The very old version of this idea is "Cock Ale" - I have some old recipes at home and can post them if anyone is interested - it might inspire some further ideas.  Basically it consisted of soaking an old rooster in alcohol for some time (and throwing away the rooster) - and it was supposed to have restorative powers. Samuel Pepys drank it.

It is good to see an old custom revived!

I'll watch your progress with interest!

Janet.

Or all those "interesting" looking Asian liquors with snakes and other various animals steeped in them.

Personally, as much as I like hot dogs, I'm hoping further experimentation will involve bacon somehow...

(Now that I'm thinking about old-school drinks like cock ale, some form of bacon or ham in an Ale Flip doesn't sound that bad at all!)

[Sneakeater]

There's a style of mescal served and sold in Oaxaca that's filtered through raw chicken flesh. The locals swear by it, but I couldn't bring myself to try it.

[dockhl]

The Old Foodie, on Aug 15 2006, 05:42 AM, said:

ThinkingBartender, on Aug 15 2006, 09:17 PM, said:

I would love to know more about this "Cock Ale". Thanks.
I recently "discovered" a newspaper article from 1855 which featured a brandy rooster tail and a gin rooster tail. I thought that they were just being polite.
George

Here are a couple of recipes to get you thinking...

ack...........

[The Old Foodie]

Very ack. But any recipe that sweetens acrimonious blood is worthy of keeping in one's repertoire.

[Meanderer]

When I first began reading this thread, I assumed my leg was being pulled. As I read on, I saw my leg being stretched so badly I thought I was going to have to move to Switzerland or West Virginia just to get around.

Now, as it is dawning on me that perhaps Wieniecello is not a hoax, I begin to fear for civilization as we know it. Surely Andrew, having spent a good part of your last year in Italy, you must know that Rome was sacked by the barbarians on a far smaller provocation.

[docsconz]

Meanderer, on Aug 16 2006, 08:40 AM, said:

When I first began reading this thread, I assumed my leg was being pulled.  As I read on, I saw my leg being stretched so badly I thought I was going to have to move to Switzerland or West Virginia just to get around.

Now, as it is dawning on me that perhaps Wieniecello is not a hoax, I begin to fear for civilization as we know it.  Surely Andrew, having spent a good part of your last year in Italy, you must know that Rome was sacked by the barbarians on a far smaller provocation.

Whether or not this is a jest it is quite clever and very cleverly presented. It is fun. If I happened to be with Andrew and he offered me one to try, I would try it and I wouldn't be surprised if it actually was pretty tasty. I wouldn't be surprised either if we both had a good laugh.

[Meanderer]

It is beyond clever. It is either brilliant or insane. Trying to figure out which is causing me to need a drink. Now, where's my bottle of root beer schnappes?

[philadining]

Somehow, I think that "either brilliant or insane" is an assessment Andrew has encountered before...

[Andrew Fenton]

A hoax? A joke? I beg to differ! Every new paradigm has its detractors: it's widely known that the Pope's first response to Galileo was something along the lines of come on, dude! The earth going around the sun? Please. But we all know who got the last laugh; likewise, soon Salami on the Beach will be served at all the finer bars, cocktail lounges and Spring Break wet T-shirt contests.

As to comparisons with barbarians and Romans... well, let's just say that the Goths needed a little something extra to take over Italy. Black eyeshadow and gloomy music will only get you so far: high-proof liquor and red meat fill in the gaps. QED.

[Meanderer]

The historical perspective you bring to this debate is both impressive and convincing. I am persuaded. Make mine a Vienna Beef Sausage, though.

[The Old Foodie]

Andrew Fenton, on Aug 17 2006, 01:54 AM, said:

As to comparisons with barbarians and Romans... well, let's just say that the Goths needed a little something extra to take over Italy.  Black eyeshadow and gloomy music will only get you so far: high-proof liquor and red meat fill in the gaps.  QED.

What were the Goths going to do with that ransom of 3000 pounds of pepper that they demanded when they sacked Rome then? They were "Germanic people" were they not? "Wieners" are "Germanic" are they not? Perhaps Alaric and his men dipped the rims of their tankards (?) in pepper before drinking their wiener-schapps?

Will we ever know the truth?

[Andrew Fenton]

Old Foodie, I think I see a research grant in your future...

Now, to respond to the SL's (bunge & kinsey):

slbunge, on Aug 14 2006, 10:36 PM, said:

Perhaps, because of flamability, it would not have been a good idea...but did you grill one post-soak and dress it up in a bun with fixins?

slkinsey, on Aug 15 2006, 10:12 AM, said:

Tell us about the drunken weenies?  Do you think they would be good slapped on the grill and served alongside a Weenietini?

The good news was, the weenies were reasonably alcoholic, even grilling burned off part of the booze. Also, they didn't explode like beef grenades. (There's some sort of Molotov cocktail joke there, but it's escaping me.)

The bad news is that a hot dog that has been soaking for weeks in alcohol tastes like a lab specimen. You remember that kid in high school biology who, for $10, took a bite of his fetal pig? He might like these.