Campfire-Smoked Old Fashioned with Grilled Cherry‑Balsamic Syrup

How to Make Campfire-Smoked Old Fashioned with Grilled Cherry‑Balsamic Syrup

1. 1

   Step 1: Make the grilled cherry–balsamic syrup

   Heat a cast-iron skillet or use a grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Toss the pitted cherries in the hot pan (or put them on a skewer) and cook until skins blister and a few are charred, about 4–6 minutes, turning once. Transfer the hot cherries to a small saucepan, add sugar, balsamic and water, and bring to a gentle simmer. Smash the cherries with a spoon, simmer 6–8 minutes until syrupy and slightly reduced (you should yield roughly 6 fl oz / 180 ml of syrup). Strain through a fine mesh if you prefer a clear syrup; reserve a few whole charred cherries for garnish.

   For this step

   • 12 cherry(ies)Fresh cherries, pitted
   • 1/2 cupGranulated sugar
   • 2 tbspAged balsamic vinegar
   • 1/4 cupWater
   
2. 2

   Step 2: Smoke your glass over mesquite on the grill

   Light the grill and get it to medium-high with hot coals or a solid heat source. Put a small foil packet or smoker box of mesquite chips on the hottest part until they begin to smolder and produce smoke. Place the rocks glass upside down directly over the smoke source (or hold it over with tongs) for 20–45 seconds to trap a nice mesquite aroma inside—this is the signature step: Smoke your glass over mesquite on the grill. When smoky, leave the glass inverted on a clean surface or flip it onto a coaster to keep the smoke trapped until you’re ready to pour.

   For this step

   • 1/2 cupMesquite wood chips (for smoking the glass)
   
3. 3

   Step 3: Char garnish cherries and prep the glass/rim and ice

   Skewer the reserved cherries and quickly char them over the hot grill or in the cast-iron until edges blacken and they blister—30–60 seconds per side; set aside to cool. If using the smoked-salt rim, wet the lip of the smoked glass with a cut cherry or a little water, then dip into the coarse smoked sea salt. Have 4 large ice cubes chilled and ready (two for stirring, two for serving a single large cube per glass).

   For this step

   • 4 cube(s)Large ice cubes
   • 1 tspCoarse smoked sea salt (optional rim)
   
4. 4

   Step 4: Stir, assemble and serve the Old Fashioned

   In a mixing glass combine the bourbon, 1 fl oz (30 ml) of the grilled cherry–balsamic syrup (this recipe yields ~6 fl oz; use about 0.5 fl oz / 15 ml of syrup per cocktail), and 6 dashes Angostura bitters (3 dashes per drink if making individually). Add two large ice cubes and stir briskly 20–30 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted. Place one large ice cube into each smoked, rim-prepped rocks glass, strain the stirred cocktail over the ice, and drop in a charred cherry on a pick. Optionally: just before serving, invert the smoked glass briefly over the mixing glass to release a puff of trapped smoke for extra aromatics. Serve with grilled steak or pork to echo the smoke and char flavors.

   For this step

   • 4 fl ozBourbon
   • 6 dashAngostura bitters
   

1. Heat a cast-iron skillet or use a grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Toss the pitted cherries in the hot pan (or put them on a skewer) and cook until skins blister and a few are charred, about 4–6 minutes, turning once. Transfer the hot cherries to a small saucepan, add sugar, balsamic and water, and bring to a gentle simmer. Smash the cherries with a spoon, simmer 6–8 minutes until syrupy and slightly reduced (you should yield roughly 6 fl oz / 180 ml of syrup). Strain through a fine mesh if you prefer a clear syrup; reserve a few whole charred cherries for garnish.
2. Light the grill and get it to medium-high with hot coals or a solid heat source. Put a small foil packet or smoker box of mesquite chips on the hottest part until they begin to smolder and produce smoke. Place the rocks glass upside down directly over the smoke source (or hold it over with tongs) for 20–45 seconds to trap a nice mesquite aroma inside—this is the signature step: Smoke your glass over mesquite on the grill. When smoky, leave the glass inverted on a clean surface or flip it onto a coaster to keep the smoke trapped until you’re ready to pour.
3. Skewer the reserved cherries and quickly char them over the hot grill or in the cast-iron until edges blacken and they blister—30–60 seconds per side; set aside to cool. If using the smoked-salt rim, wet the lip of the smoked glass with a cut cherry or a little water, then dip into the coarse smoked sea salt. Have 4 large ice cubes chilled and ready (two for stirring, two for serving a single large cube per glass).
4. In a mixing glass combine the bourbon, 1 fl oz (30 ml) of the grilled cherry–balsamic syrup (this recipe yields ~6 fl oz; use about 0.5 fl oz / 15 ml of syrup per cocktail), and 6 dashes Angostura bitters (3 dashes per drink if making individually). Add two large ice cubes and stir briskly 20–30 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted. Place one large ice cube into each smoked, rim-prepped rocks glass, strain the stirred cocktail over the ice, and drop in a charred cherry on a pick. Optionally: just before serving, invert the smoked glass briefly over the mixing glass to release a puff of trapped smoke for extra aromatics. Serve with grilled steak or pork to echo the smoke and char flavors.