Bacon-Bourbon Brownies with Pecans

Kat Kinsman makes fluffy brownies with bacon and pecans. To enhance the smoky taste, she mixes a little bacon fat into the dough.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch protrusion on two opposite sides. Spray the paper with a vegetable spray. Place the pecans on a pie plate and cook for about 8 minutes, until they are fragrant. Allow to cool, then coarsely chop the nuts.In a skillet, saute the bacon over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp, 6 minutes. Place on paper towels and let cool; leave 3 tablespoons of fat. Finely chop the bacon.In a saucepan, combine both chocolates with the butter and stir over very low heat until it melts; transfer to a large bowl. Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat both types of sugar with the remaining 3 tablespoons of bacon fat. Whisk the bourbon together in a blender. Add the eggs and salt and beat until smooth. Sift the cocoa and flour into a bowl and beat until smooth.Place the batter on the prepared pan and sprinkle the bacon and pecans on top. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the brownies are lightly browned at the edges but slightly convex in the center; the dough should stick slightly on a toothpick inserted in the middle. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely. Remove the brownies from the pan using parchment paper. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.