Bourbon wood chips


 

Tim O

TVWBB Fan
I love the flavor of bourbon but when using the WSM, I use chunk wood, and bourbon is unfortunately not a type of tree. What are some of the best ways to infuse that bourbon flavor into meat? Injections? A burst of JD wood chips? Sauce?

Maybe Jim Beam or JD should sell their used charred oak barrels in wood chunks!
 
I marinate my salmon in bourbon, along with a sweet rub on top, before I smoke it. It is awesome!

You need to be sure that you pour two fingers for yourself, when you prep the fish, and then everyone is happy!
 
Tim,last year or the one before,JD had grilling chunks. IIRC,they were briquettes that had chunks buried in them.
But I'm like V,I'd just as soon enjoy a couple fingers,neat,and let the meat speak for itself.
 
I marinate my salmon in bourbon, along with a sweet rub on top, before I smoke it. It is awesome!

You need to be sure that you pour two fingers for yourself, when you prep the fish, and then everyone is happy!

No problem with the 2 fingers for myself but are you marinating in diluted or straight bourbon?
 
Tim, you can buy bourbon barrel wood chunks. They're great. You can also get wine barrel chunks.
 
Years ago, I had access to Whiskey Barrels after their useful life in the distillery was done. We broke them up with sledge hammers and axes and used them for firewood. It was white oak (Federal Mandate, I believe) and they burned beautifully. I had ricks of that wood.

Where are they when I need them???:(:(

The distillery is long since closed and I have to buy the chunks just like anyone else...

FWIW
Dale53
 
A quick search on Google pulled up this site, which looks to sell chunks:
http://www.northwoodssmoke.com/products/Used-Bourbon-Barrel-Chunks.html

Bass Pro Shops also looks to have Jack Daniels chunks:
http://www.basspro.com/Jack-Daniels...g_googleproductextensions&kpid=12122306555714

My local Meijer sells Jack Daniels barrel chips, which I use in the Performer sometimes, but probably wouldn't work very well in a WSM. I've seen the chunks on occasion, the chunks aren't as big as you may get from your typical bag, but big enough that they should work in your WSM.
 
Walmart sells them nationwide I believe, and yes, they really do smell like bourbon when they are in the bag. It is actually quite strong from the bags I've bought, and the flavor that they give is really really good. Here is a link to the Walmart site to see if they are in stock local to you -

Jack Daniel's Barrel Chips

I will say that I have used a bourbon marinade and it was really, really good. It used bourbon and honey and provided a great steak and sauce from the reduced leftover marinade. I think next time I make it though I am going to use brown sugar for that caramelized molasses flavor. I think it will be even better that way. This marinade is also good added to sautéed mushrooms. Just put a little in the pan to deglaze them when they start to brown.

This is a pretty sweet steak though, so you may want to cut back on the sweetener or cut the sweetness with some veggies sautéed or grilled with a vinegary marinade. Here is the recipe I have used -

Bourbon Marinade Recipe
-1/3 cup bottled steak sauce - like A1 Sauce
-1/3 cup bourbon
-2 tablespoon honey/brown sugar
-Freshly ground black pepper to taste
-Optional -1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning, i.e. Chef Paul Prudhommes or Zatarain's. If omitting, replace with slightly less salt to taste.
-Freshly minced garlic. Garlic goes very well with the bourbon though, so I always add a little.

Marinade steak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Remove steaks from marinade and reserve some for basting steaks while cooking and rest for reducing a sauce. Add a red wine vinegar to the sauce for the reduction if a more tangy flavor is desired, or even add dijon mustard for a sauce that has a bit more body.


Good luck though and post how you like the marinade if you ever happen to try it!
 
Tim, you can buy bourbon barrel wood chunks. They're great. You can also get wine barrel chunks.

I've used both, with excellent results. Used the bourbon variety on pork and chicken, and the wine variety on beef - because, as we've all been told, you have to serve red wine with beef. :) The bourbon chunks give off a REALLY intense whiskey aroma, so you might not want to use them if you think the federales might be snooping around.
 
I've used both, with excellent results. Used the bourbon variety on pork and chicken, and the wine variety on beef - because, as we've all been told, you have to serve red wine with beef. :) The bourbon chunks give off a REALLY intense whiskey aroma, so you might not want to use them if you think the federales might be snooping around.

I agree. You're getting oak soaked in bourbon or wine. Pretty good stuff.
 

 

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