Recipe: Cooking with Liquor. Jack Daniel's® Barbecue Glaze

I've been on the whiskey diet. I've already lost three days! – Tommy Cooper

It's almost barbecue season! Photo: akashgoyal, Flickr ccl

It's almost time to wipe off the barbecue and polish it up for another season. In doing so we physically express our hopes for happy gatherings of family and friends, reliving old memories and creating new.

Of course, it all hinges on how well you barbecue… and that hinges on your barbecue sauce or glaze. Never one to leave things to the last minute, and since I had been gifted a small bottle of Jack Daniel's®, I went looking to see what could be created. Oh, I also happened to have a pork roast in the refrigerator that needed to be dealt with. It's far better to test new barbecue sauces or glaze before the season starts in your oven – when you're not under pressure to deliver!

Photo: Rodrigo Galidez, Flickr ccl

I cannot find an exact date, but using liquor in cooking is an ancient tradition. Romans incorporated wine in recipes, for example. The flavor their use adds is undeniable, and can benefit even the plainest of sauces if used appropriately.

Liquor, wine and liqueur all add distinctive flavor to both savory and sweet dishes. Depending on the individual recipe, a large portion of the alcohol content usually burns off, so you won't get drunk, but still get the flavor you're looking to impart.

About Jack Daniel's®

Back to the Jack Daniel's®…. JD is a sour mash whiskey from Tennessee that is among the world's most popular brands. The distillery was founded in 1866, by J.N. "Jack" Daniel, hence the name. 

It is produced in Lynchburg, Moore County, Tennessee by Jack Daniel Distillery, which has been owned by the Brown-Forman Corporation since 1956. Despite being the location of a major distillery, Moore County is dry, so Jack Daniel's® is not available at stores or restaurants within the county, but the distillery itself sells "commemorative" bottles.

Unlike bourbon whiskey, Tennessee whiskey is filtered through sugar maple charcoal before aging. JD is a "sipping" whiskey, which means it has a lot more character than other whiskeys. All that character is preserved in this recipe.

About the sauce

This sauce has a wonderful sweet taste, yet the JD still shines through, even after roasting. This basting and table sauce would also make an impressive brushed glaze for chicken, pork or beef on the barbecue. To use as a barbecue sauce, simmer for 5-8 minutes before use, or until thickened as you like, which may be a bit longer.

I wouldn't hesitate using this on shrimp or scallops as well. I would avoid using it on fish as it may be to overpowering for the delicate flavour. This really carries the taste of Jack Daniel's®, but in an excellent way.

I used pork for my roast, and it tasted incredible!

Roast with Jack Daniel’s® Glaze

2 to 2 1/2 lb pork or beef roast

1/2 cup Jack Daniel’s® Tennessee Whiskey (2 of the small bottles)

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

3/4 cup Demerara sugar, or dark brown

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp black pepper

salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the glaze ingredients together in a bowl. Place the roast in a roasting dish. Add a bit of water to the bottom of the pan. This keeps moisture in the oven and aids in clean-up.

Brush the entire surface of the roast with the glaze. Sprinkle the surface with some salt. (Remember the glaze has soy in it, which has salt.) Baste while roasting every 15 minutes. 

Reduce the sauce for barbecue or table service.
Photo: zazmataz, Flickr ccl

After 1 hour, reduce the heat to 350°F and continue to roast, and baste, to an internal temperature of 160°F for "medium." If you go higher the pork will begin to dry out. This is true for "medium" beef roast as well.

Remove the roast from the oven and allow to rest. If not you will loose much of the internal juices that keep the meat moist.

Simmer the remaining sauce in a saucepan for 5-8 minutes while roast rests. It will thicken up slightly. Slice the meat into serving sized pieces. Serve the sauce on the table for an extra boost of Jack Daniel's® flavor.

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