Not headed to the American South anytime soon? That’s okay, we have two things that’ll put the South on your mind: bourbon and barbecue. Well, and Tennessee whisky, which technically isn’t bourbon . . . but we only mention that because they get mad at us if we don’t. Really, they both taste great.
Anyway, back to whisky and barbecue. “Both smoked meat and bourbon tend to be big and bold, with just the right combination of sweet and spice,” says David Neinstein, chef at Toronto’s Barque. We couldn’t agree more. That’s why we encourage you to do these three things:
Thing one: buy a bottle of Bulleit bourbon frontier whiskey. It’s a well-rounded bourbon, great for someone new to the spirit. It’s sweet and powerful, with notes of oak, winter spice, vanilla, and a touch of smoke. It’s great neat or in a cocktail, like the one below.
Thing two: buy a bottle of George Dickel Tennessee Whisky No. 12. Robust, spicy toffee with some nuttiness and oak. One of the elite to embrace the state of Tennessee. Oh, and ‘ol George Dickel himself dropped the customary ‘e’ Americans use to spell whisky, all because he thought his whisky was the equal of anything from Scotland. That’s right, southern men don’t mess around.
Thing three: fire up the grill, invite the neighbours over, and serve ‘em welcoming cocktails. According to Neinstein, “It’s a welcoming hug, and it sets the tone for the night.”
Betsy’s BLT
Ingredients
1.25 oz. Bulleit bourbon
4 oz. tonic water
Large lemon wedge
Directions
Fill a lowball glass with ice and top with bourbon. Squeeze lemon wedge into glass and discard. Top drink with tonic water and give it a stir.
The Horse’s Neck
Ingredients
1½ oz George Dickel bourbon
4 oz ginger beer
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Long lemon peel
Directions
Combine the bourbon and bitters in a highball glass filled with ice. Add the lemon peel and top with ginger beer.
Smoked Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients
2 racks of pork baby back ribs
BBQ Basting Liquid
1 cup (250 mL) apple juice
1 cup (250 mL) BBQ sauce
BBQ Dry Rub
1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) kosher salt
1 tsp (5 mL) ground black pepper
1 tsp (5 mL) granulated garlic
1 tsp (5 mL) granulated onion
1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder
2 tsp (10 mL) paprika (use smoked paprika if available)
1 tsp (5 mL) cayenne pepper (for heat, if desired)
Directions
1. Combine all BBQ dry rub ingredients in a bowl.
2. Remove clear membrane from underside of ribs.
3. Place ribs meaty side down and liberally apply dry rub. Flip ribs and apply rub on the other side.
4. Place ribs, meaty side up, on preheated 230-250°F (110-120°C) barbecue. Cook for about three hours, spritzing with apple juice every 20 minutes or so.
5. Once the meat begins to pull back evenly from each bone, baste with BBQ sauce. Leave on grill for another 20 minutes. Baste again with 5 minutes remaining.
6. Let cool for 10 minutes. Slice and serve. Serves 6.
BBQ Butterflied Chicken
Ingredients
1 butterflied chicken, approx. 3 lbs. You can ask your butcher for a butterflied chicken, or you can do it yourself. Place your chicken on the cutting board, breast down. Use kitchen shears to remove the spine by cutting through the ribs on both sides of the spine. You can reserve the bones for stock. Bend the chicken flat. See more here.
BBQ Basting Liquid
1 cup (250 mL) apple juice
1 cup (250 mL) BBQ sauce
BBQ Dry Rub
For ingredients, refer to BBQ Dry Rub recipe on this page for Smoked Baby Back Ribs.
Directions
1. Combine dry rub ingredients in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.
2. Clean chicken and dry. Liberally apply dry rub over entire chicken, inside and out.
3. Place chicken on preheated 230-250°F (110-120°C) barbecue grill, and cook over indirect heat for about 1 hour 15 minutes, spritzing with apple juice every 20 minutes.
4. Remove from grill once instant-read thermometer registers 165–175°F (74–79°C). Let rest for 10 minutes, then carve and serve. Serves 6
How to Prepare a Grill for Smoking
1. Light one side of your grill. Turn it low, to 230-250˚F (110-120˚C).
2. Prepare wood chip packets. Buy cherry or apple wood chips from a hardware store, soak in water for an hour, and then portion and wrap them into tinfoil to make packets of about 5”x5” each. Flatten them slightly and poke holes in them with a fork. You’ll need one packet per 20 minutes of cooking.
3. Position the meat on the grill such that it’s not directly over the heat—this is called indirect grilling. Place the foil packet directly on the heat. Closer to the source is better—remove part of your grate if needed. Be sure to replace every 20 minutes.
BULLEIT BOURBON FRONTIER WHISKEY | 750 mL | Retail: $38.95
GEORGE DICKEL TENNESSEE WHISKY NO. 12 | 750 mL | Retail $36.95
Photo courtesy of Kevin Hewitt Photography.
More fall flavours in stores now! For more great recipes, visit lcbo.com/cocktailrecipes.
