Bourbon-Infused Grilling Recipes by BBQ Expert Steven Raichlen

Bib & Tucker Small Batch Bourbon recently partnered with BBQ expert Steven Raichlen to celebrate the launch of the new Double Char, and he created these delicious bourbon-infused recipes perfect for fall grilling and holiday hosting. Check out the recipes and photos below for Grilled Beef, Basil & Bib & Tucker Bourbon Rolls, Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon Brisket and Bacon Bourbon Apple Crisp by Steven Raichlen! Most recently, these recipes were served at Southall Farm & Inn Luxury Resort in Franklin, TN and cooked on the Big Green Egg. Please let me know if these recipes are of interest and what else you’re working on right now!

Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon is now available nationally, in-store and online! Inspired by the turn of the century in America, when food was cooked on the open flame, this new bourbon from Bib & Tucker Small Batch Bourbon is aged twice to create savory smoky notes and an exceptionally smooth finish. Bib & Tucker Double Char is first aged for six years in the rolling hills of Tennessee in new white American oak, followed by a minimum of five months in a second heavily charred and smoked new barrel. This unique fire-forged double char aging method creates the rich and deep flavor of Bib & Tucker Double Char.

RECIPE #1: Grilled Beef, Basil & Bib & Tucker Bourbon Rolls by Steven Raichlen

• Makes: 50 to 60 rolls
• Method: Direct grilling
• You’ll also need: Bamboo skewers; aluminum foil for a grill shield
• Ingredients:

o   8 ounces very lean ground beef sirloin

o   2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

o   5 teaspoons Asian fish sauce, or more to taste

o   1 tablespoon Bib & Tucker 6-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon

o   1 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste

o   1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

o   2 bunches basil (about 60 large leaves)

o   3 tablespoons finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts

• Instructions:

o   Combine the beef, garlic, fish sauce, bourbon, sugar, and pepper in a medium bowl, and using your hands, form a smooth paste. Cook a small amount of the beef mixture in a nonstick skillet until cooked through, then taste for seasoning, adding more fish sauce and/or sugar as necessary; the mixture should be both salty and sweet.

o   Select 50 to 60 of the largest basil leaves. Rinse under cold running water, then drain and gently blot them dry with paper towels.

o   Place one leaf, underside up, on a work surface. Depending on the size of the leaf, mound up to 2 teaspoons of the beef mixture in the center. Starting with the stem end, roll the leaf up into a compact cylinder. Place the rolled-up leaf on a baking sheet with the leaf tip tucked under. Repeat with the remaining beef mixture and basil leaves.

o   Thread the beef rolls crosswise on the skewers, 5 rolls to a skewer, making sure to pierce the place where the leaf ends cross first. Note: The rolls can be made up to this point several hours ahead of time. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

o   Set up the Big Green Egg for direct grilling and heat to high. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the skewers on the hot grate with the aluminum foil shield under the exposed ends of the skewers. Grill the rolls, turning with tongs, until the beef rolls are cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes in all. When done, the basil will be lightly browned and the rolls will be very hot to the touch. Serve the beef rolls on the skewers with the peanuts sprinkled on top).

RECIPE #2: Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon Brisket by Steven Raichlen

• Ingredients:

o   ¼ cup Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon

o   1 brisket flat (4-1/2 to 5 pounds)

o   Coarse sea salt

o   Cracked black peppercorns or freshly ground black peppercorns

o   Hot red pepper flakes (optional)

o   16 thick-cut strips artisanal bacon, such as Nueske’s

• Instructions:

o   Douse the brisket in Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon for 30 minutes while your Big Green Egg or grill heats up. Drain off the bourbon. Place the brisket in a foil pan and generously season the top, bottom and sides with salt, black pepper, and if you like your brisket spicy, hot red pepper flakes. Finish with the lean (fatless) side up.

o   Set up your Big Green Egg or other smoker, following the manufacturer’s instructions and heat it to 250°F. Add hardwood chunks or chips as specified by the manufacturer. Place a metal bowl with 1 quart of warm water in the Big Green Egg—this creates a humid environment that will help the smoke adhere to the meat and keep your brisket moist.

o   Place the brisket in its pan in the Big Green Egg next to the water, and smoke for 1 hour, getting smoke into the underside of the meat.

o   Using tongs, invert the brisket so the fat side is up. Neatly drape the top with half the bacon slices. Cook the brisket until the bacon on top is darkly browned, about 2 hours or so. Remove the bacon, dice and eat it as a reward for your patience.

o   Lay the remaining bacon strips atop the brisket. Continue cooking until these new bacon strips are darkly browned and the and the internal temperature of the brisket registers 205°F on an instant-read thermometer. There should be a nice pool of bacon and brisket fat in the bottom of the pan. This will take another 3 to 4 hours, for a total of 6 to 8 hours in all. Note: There is no need to wrap the brisket in butcher paper or aluminum foil as the foil pan covers the bottom; the bacon covers the top.

o   You can eat the brisket immediately, but it will be much more moist and tender if you rest it, loosely covered with aluminum foil in an insulated cooler for 1 to 2 hours.

o   To serve, uncover the brisket and transfer it to a cutting board. Remove the bacon or slice it along with the brisket. Cut across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices, or as thickly or thinly as you desire. Serve with any condiments or accompaniments you like.

RECIPE #3: Bacon Bourbon Apple Crisp by Steven Raichlen

• Method: hot smoking
• Serves: 8
• You’ll also need: One 10-inch cast iron skillet; 1-1/2 cups hardwood chips, for smoking
• Ingredients:

o   For the filling:

• 2 strips artisanal bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slivers
• 3 pounds crisp sweet apples, such as Honey Crisps
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (or to taste—light or dark, it doesn’t matter)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon

o   For the crisp:

• 1/2 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

o   Smoked Bourbon Whipped Cream for serving (see additional recipe below)

• Instructions:

o   Set up your Big Green Egg for indirect grilling and heat to 400 degrees.

o   Make the filling: Fry the bacon in the skillet over medium heat until crisp and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring with a slotted spoon. Transfer the bacon to a large mixing bowl and crumble. Pour the bacon fat into a jar and reserve for later use. Don’t wipe out or wash the skillet.

o   Peel and core the apples and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place in the mixing bowl with the bacon.   Stir in the sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon zest, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the bourbon.   Taste the mixture for sweetness, adding sugar as needed. Spoon the filling into the skillet.

o   Make the topping: Place the crushed cookies, remaining flour, white and brown sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor. Grind to a coarse powder, running the processor in short bursts.  (The butter should remain in pea-size pieces.) Don’t over-process: the mixture should remain loose and crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples.

o   Place the crisp in the grill. Toss the wood on the coals. Smoke-roast the crisp until the topping is browned and bubbling, the apples are soft (they should be easy to pierce with a skewer), and the filling is thick, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

o   Serve the crisp hot off the grill. Top with the smoked bourbon whipped cream.

• Smoked Bourbon Whipped Cream (Additional Recipe)

o   You’ll also need: a handheld smoker, like a Smoking Gun

o   Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon

o   Instructions:

• Make the whipped cream: Chill the bowl of your mixer or a metal bowl in the freezer. Add the cream and beat to soft peaks using a hand-held or stand mixer.    Add the sugar and bourbon and beat until the whipped cream is almost stiff. Don’t overbeat, or you’ll get bourbon-flavored butter.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Load a handheld smoker with hardwood sawdust. Place the smoking tube under the plastic wrap and fill the bowl with smoke. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Repeat 2 times. Keep the whipped cream cold until serving. 

 

Bib & Tucker is also available at The Harpeth and JJs Wine Bar in Franklin, TN.

Feature Photo Credit – Robert Jacob Lerma