A Bourbon and Barbeque Pairing

Summer grilling season is here, and it’s the perfect time to try some bourbon-infused recipes. Better yet, pair some of the whiskey-infused fare with bourbon cocktails. Barbecue legend Steven Raichlen has come up with a grilled steak recipe and whiskey drink to pair it with.

Raichlen, an author, journalist, lecturer and TV host, uses Bib & Tucker Double Char for these recipes. The small-batch Tennessee bourbon is aged for a minimum of six years following the Lincoln County Process, in which the whiskey is first filtered through — or steeped in — charcoal chips.

“Since the earliest days of our nation, beef and bourbon have been keeping one another fine company,” Raichlen says. “There’s something about the sweetness of sipping whiskey that enhances the rich, meaty flavor of beef.”

For an uptown version of this dish, Raichlen advises using New York strip steaks or a beef tomahawk. For a more affordable version, use skirt steak. “Either way, the bourbon soy marinade takes the beef to a whole new level.”

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Double Char Steak (Serves 4)

Course Main Course

Keyword bourbon, garlic, lemon zest, scallions, sesame oil, soy sauce, steak

Ingredients

• 4 NY strip steaks or 4 sections of skirt steak each 6 to 8 oz.
• 2 tbsps. Minced chives or scallion greens
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon
• ½ cup Soy sauce
• ½ cup Sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil plus oil for the grill grate
• 2 cloves Garlic crushed with the side of knife
• 2 tsps. Lemon zest finely grated

Instructions

• Arrange the steaks in a baking dish. Make the marinade: Combine the bourbon, soy sauce, olive oil, lemon zest and garlic in a mixing bowl and whisk to mix. Pour this mixture over the steaks, cover and marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator, turning the meat a few times so it marinates evenly.
• Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high. Brush the grill grate clean and oil it well.
• Drain the steaks, discarding the marinade. Arrange the steaks on the grill grate and cook to taste, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare strip steaks (a little longer for medium); 2 to 3 minutes per side for skirt steaks. Transfer the steaks to a platter and top with chives and plenty of black pepper.

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Steam Engine

Course Drinks

Keyword Angostura bitters, Bénédictine, bourbon

Ingredients

• 2 parts Bib & Tucker Double Char bourbon
• ½ part Bénédictine
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Instructions

• Stir all ingredients together in a mixing glass filled with ice.
• Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
• Garnish with an expressed orange peel.

Notes

The mixologists at Bib & Tucker created this recipe.