Makes 2 cups – serve with your favorite veggies or pita chips
Ingredients
- 8 strips of bacon
- 2 medium-sized yellow onions, finely diced (about 4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon bourbon
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
- 8 oz light cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup light mayonnaise
- 8 oz container light sour cream
- Generous grinds of black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the bacon strips in a large skillet until crispy.
- Remove to paper-towel lined plate with a slotted spoon. Leave the bacon grease to cool, then pour it into a bowl or jar.
- Wipe out the skillet to remove any browned or burned bits.
- Pour 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease back in the skillet and return it to medium heat. Add the onions and salt and stir well to coat. Cook until the onions are soft and glassy, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Keep the heat at medium to prevent the onions from scorching. When the onions begin to turn a slightly toffee color, add 1/4 cup bourbon and brown sugar, stir well and cover the pan. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are amber brown, the color of a good bourbon. If at any point the onions start to catch on the bottom of the pan, add a splash of water and stir well. Leave the caramelized onions to cool.
- When the onions are cool, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream in the bowl of a mixer until smooth.
- Add the onions and 1 Tablespoon bourbon and mix until combined. Chop the bacon into small pieces and add to the dip, stirring to combine. Season well with several grinds off black pepper.
- Spoon the dip into a 2 quart baking dish, cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend.
- When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350°.
- Bake the dip for 20 minutes until it is warmed through and bubbling.
Fire It Up!
Chef Eric LeVine/Pazoo