Marinades can be the difference between a complex, flavorful dish and an underwhelming, bland one. An ingredient that may not immediately strike you as a meat marinade staple might already be in your liquor cabinet: bourbon. This amber-colored Kentucky specialty is no stranger to being used in food recipes. Since it has notes of vanilla, oak, caramel, and coconut, bourbon is often added to chocolate cakes, pecan pies, and bourbon balls, an iconic Kentucky candy. However, using bourbon in your cooking isn’t only for folks who have a sweet tooth. It’s a great addition to a marinade or sauce, and does so much more for your meat than just enhancing its flavor.
The alcohol in bourbon works as a natural tenderizer for the meat by helping to break down collagen, especially when paired with salt and acid. Letting your meat soak in this tasty flavor combination speeds up that collagen-softening process, and results in meat that is perfectly tender. However, alcohol can also cause meat to dry out once it’s exposed to heat, which is why using it in a marinade is helpful; the alcohol does its part to tenderize the meat while the other ingredients keep it moist, and both components infuse it with amazing flavor.
The flavor profiles where bourbon shines
Understanding what bourbon is made from can help you concoct a marinade that shines with the addition of this liquor. To legally be considered bourbon, it must contain at least 51% corn. Since corn itself has a high sugar content, it makes bourbon sweet and smooth, and therefore goes well in marinades and sauces that are meant to be on the sweeter side. Bourbon’s vanilla and caramel undertones go beautifully with marinades that involve brown sugar, for example; add in soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and spices for your desired level of heat, and you’ve got a sticky, Asian-inspired marinade that makes any protein — from chicken to pork to salmon — delicious.
Since bourbon is distilled in a charred oak barrel, those woody and smoky notes make it an excellent candidate for a barbecue sauce. The natural sweetness of the bourbon complements the other sweet ingredients often included in barbecue sauce, such as brown sugar and tomato paste, and the oaky undertones pair well with smoky spices such as paprika or chipotle powder. Bourbon also tastes great in marinades that involve citrus juice (think lemon, lime, or orange). Both the alcohol in the bourbon and the citrus work wonders on breaking down collagen for extra tender meat, and the acidity from the citrus can cut through the sweetness of bourbon while also bringing a brightness to the marinade. So remember, that bottle of bourbon isn’t just for sipping or mixing up the best old fashioned you’ve ever had – It can be the secret weapon for a variety of delicious marinades.
