Bacon Bourbon Apple Crisp
Photo by Robert Jacob Lerma
- Serves
- 8
- Prep Time
- 25 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 Minutes
This bourbon apple crisp is smoky, sweet, and buttery—with bacon in the filling and gingersnaps in the topping. Best served with bourbon whipped cream.
Method: hot smoking
You’ll also need: One 10-inch cast iron skillet; 1-1/2 cups hardwood chips, for smoking
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 2 strips artisanal bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slivers
- 3 pound crisp sweet apples, such as Honey Crisps
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (or to taste—light or dark, it doesn’t matter)
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoon Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon
For the crisp:
- 1/2 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- Smoked Bourbon Whipped Cream for serving (see additional recipe below)
- *Smoked Bourbon Whipped Cream (Additional Recipe)*
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tablespoon Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon
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Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
Set up your Big Green Egg for indirect grilling and heat to 400 degrees.
- Step 2
Make the filling: Fry the bacon in the skillet over medium heat until crisp and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring with a slotted spoon. Transfer the bacon to a large mixing bowl and crumble. Pour the bacon fat into a jar and reserve for later use. Don’t wipe out or wash the skillet.
- Step 3
Peel and core the apples and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place in the mixing bowl with the bacon. Stir in the sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon zest, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the bourbon. Taste the mixture for sweetness, adding sugar as needed. Spoon the filling into the skillet.
- Step 4
Make the topping: Place the crushed cookies, remaining flour, white and brown sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor. Grind to a coarse powder, running the processor in short bursts. (The butter should remain in pea-size pieces.) Don’t over-process: the mixture should remain loose and crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples.
- Step 5
Place the crisp in the grill. Toss the wood on the coals. Smoke-roast the crisp until the topping is browned and bubbling, the apples are soft (they should be easy to pierce with a skewer), and the filling is thick, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Step 6
Serve the crisp hot off the grill. Top with the smoked bourbon whipped cream.
- Step 7
<strong>Make the whipped cream:<strong> Chill the bowl of your mixer or a metal bowl in the freezer. Add the cream and beat to soft peaks using a hand-held or stand mixer. Add the sugar and bourbon and beat until the whipped cream is almost stiff. Don't overbeat, or you'll get bourbon-flavored butter.
- Step 8
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Load a handheld smoker with hardwood sawdust. Place the smoking tube under the plastic wrap and fill the bowl with smoke. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Step 9
Repeat 2 times. Keep the whipped cream cold until serving.