Make Your Dirty Martini Extra Savory With A Fat-Washing Technique

Fat washing is a darling of the cocktail world. The technique allows mixologists (professionals or hobbyists) to add mouthfeel to all sorts of cocktails. You can use anything from bacon grease to butter and avocados, but for a delicious twist on dirty martinis, Susan Choi, owner and operator of Berlin-based cocktail bar, Mr. Susan, recommends olive oil.

"A dirty martini is a timeless classic, known for its direct, straight to the point flavor and personality. Fat washing vodka with olive oil creates a smoother, silkier texture to the vodka that can soften up the drinking experience without losing its punch," Choi says. "In terms of flavor, subtle hints of olive oil elevate the vodka to have a richer, more rounded taste. Add that to the dirty and you've got a more complex dirty martini — essentially a fancy dirty martini."

For the best results, she suggests using extra virgin olive oil, which retains more flavor. Choi says of cold-pressed EVOO, "It's able to 'play nice' with the vodka and really bring out that olive taste, which is what you are looking for." Although it can be a bit more expensive, it's worth splurging on the good stuff to make better-tasting drinks.

Fat washing is a fairly easy process. "In a container that you can seal (preferably glass) combine olive oil with the vodka. A general measurement rule of thumb is one cup vodka to ¼ cup of olive oil," Susan Choi explains. "Allow the olive oil and vodka combined to sit at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, then freeze. You will know it's ready when you see the fat of the olive oil solidified at the top. Gently remove the solidified olive oil and strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer (You can also use a coffee filter or cheesecloth for finer straining)."

Once the basic steps are done, you can decide whether to also add olive brine to your dirty martini. "If you're in the mood for silky, smooth, and subtle, stick with the fat-washed vodka. This is more of a mouthfeel version of a dirty. If you're in a briny and punchy mood, add some olive brine," says Choi. Enthusiasts are very specific about the way they like their martinis (Frank Sinatra was very specific about his martini), so do whatever works best for you. And if you're not quite ready for full-fledged fat washing, you could always upgrade your martini with spicy wasabi, instead.