Empellón Cocina's Fat-Washed Mezcal

Instructions

1. 1

   To ensure that your pork fat is just as delicious as theirs, here’s their adobo marinade and what to do with it (you’ll also need a rack of ribs):

2. 2

   4 ancho chiles, 8 guajillo chiles and 4 chipotle chiles, plus 4 cloves roasted garlic, half a cup of cider vinegar, a quarter teaspoon of Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, a whole clove, a quarter teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a half teaspoon of ground cumin

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   Toast the dried chiles and soak in water for at least an hour until they are rehydrated

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   Drain and discard the soaking liquid

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   Combine the soaked chiles with the remaining ingredients and purée until smooth

6. 6

   Cold smoke a rack of baby back pork ribs by taking a large hotel pan with woodchips on one side and charcoal on the other

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   Place another, smaller, pan with pork ribs, above the charcoal/woodchip pan

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   Ignite the charcoal, being careful to not ignite the woodchips

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   Cover both pans with foil and allow to smoke for 10-15 minutes, until desired level of smoke is achieved, then coat with adobo marinade and wrap in tin foil prior to placing ribs in a 300 degree oven for 7 hours

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    When the ribs have cooled, strain off the fat and use for the infusion

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    If you’re having a hard time coming up to the same kind of volume of fat, make up the balance with pork lard from a butcher

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    To get the same depth of flavor without the ribs, heat up the fat in a pot with a few spoons of the marinade

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    Once you’ve got your tub of seasoned pork fat in cooled liquid form, pour equal amounts of Ilegal Joven mezcal and fat into a sealable container

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    Seal the container and give it a really good shake, then put it in the freezer overnight

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    When the whole thing is separated and congealed, pour it through a fine mesh chinoise

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    If you don’t have a chinoise, try a fine mesh strainer, or if you don’t have one of those, try spooning off most of the fat

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    There will be some beads of orange fat left in the strained mezcal: run that through a few layers of cheesecloth (or coffee filters in a pinch) to get rid of the last of it

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    The mezcal is now ready for drinking, straight-up or in a cocktail

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    Habanero tincture

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    Slice habaneros and add 2 ounces Ilegal Joven mezcal

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    Allow to sit overnight or until desired level of heat is achieved

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    Cocktail

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    Combine mezcal and chocolate liqueur in a mixing glass with ice and stir for 45 seconds

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    Strain into chilled coupe

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    Carefully "sink" the coffee liqueur down the inside of the coupe over a spoon

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    Garnish with 5 drops habanero tincture.