Bacon infused low-carb simple syrup

Three questions:

1. Need simple syrup for a recipe?
2. Hate the taste of "fake sugar" simple syrups?
3. Yet to find anything that bacon doesn't taste great in?

If you're like me, the answer to all three of these at one point was "yes." Thanks to this recipe, now you can check #1 off the list, and move on to experimenting with #3!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Swerve granular sweetener
• ~4 drops Stevia sweetener drops
• 1/2 cup distilled water
• 1 strip thick cut bacon
• 0.2 grams (basically a pinch) of Xanthan gum

Additionally, you'll need the following equipment:

• Two vacuum seal bags
• Sous vide
• Small sauce pan
• Frying pan
• Whisk
• Mason jar

Instructions:

1. Combine Swerve granular, distilled water and xanthan gum in saucepan and bring up to medium-high heat, whisking every so often.
2. When it comes to a boil, let it boil for approximately 1 minute
3. Fry bacon in frying pan until just before it starts to crisp. When still slightly fatty with crispness on some edges (this is actually considered "done" according to my dad, and considered "a sin against humanity" by my wife; your mileage may vary), remove from pan and place on a paper towel.
4. Remove syrup from heat, add the Stevia sweetener drops
5. Pour into a mason jar and let cool
6. Set sous vide to 150° F
7. Once cool, put syrup and bacon into a vacuum bag and seal. Make sure to hit the "seal" button as liquid reaches top of bag.
8. Double seal (put bag you just sealed into another bag) to prevent liquid from escaping or water from sous vide from getting in.
9. Sous vide for 90 minutes.
10. Remove from bag, put into small bottle.
11. Add a small splash of vodka to preserve the syrup. Will safely last longer than six months.