I know that the title says Tennessee whiskey but I wanted to start my talk today with bourbon. Now, I love bourbon. I also happen to really like college basketball. My young, impressionable years were spent in the State of Connecticut and that means that I have a penchant for both men’s and women’s basketball. In case anyone doesn’t follow, both the University of Connecticut’s men's and women's teams are pretty good. I diligently follow them through the regular season but come Tournament time, that’s when things heat up.
Because of my love for these two things, I treat the men’s NCAA college basketball tournament very special, especially that first weekend of games. I take those first four days, clear my calendar of everything including work, and bask in the nice warm glow of my large screen TV with nothing but bourbon to drink and basketball on the tube. People who know me have found this to be a delightful tradition and have started to join me in my basketball and bourbon frenzy.
Now the reason that I mention this is because I love bourbon so much that I can’t bring myself to use it in this recipe. You see, one of the things that makes bourbon a bourbon is that it can only be called a bourbon if it was made in the State of Kentucky. Otherwise, it is just a whiskey. There are also some other restrictions, not the least of which is the ageing process. Altogether, these rules make bourbon a far more refined drink than just a whiskey.
Kentucky’s neighbors to the south, namely Tennessee, do not have these same restrictions upon their distilled spirits. They tend to be rougher around the edges and don’t display that same class and sophistication that the liquors from Kentucky do. Given that I am boiling this liquor and mixing it with lots of sweet stuff, it is a waste to use good bourbon in this recipe when a lesser grade Tennessee whiskey will work just as well. I know, because I had to try it to prove it to myself.
One thing to note about this recipe is that you can tailor the strength of the whiskey flavor in the finished product by the amount of time you boil the whiskey and more importantly, how much you boil off. The recipe calls for boiling approximately ten minutes, but you may want to let it go longer. I tend to remove almost all the whiskey, concentrating the flavors, but leaving a less dominant taste in the finished product.
Just a couple more notes. You can run this sauce through a strainer if you don’t like little pieces of onion and garlic in your sauce. I prefer to leave them there. Also, if you don’t smoke your meats and just grill them, you could add some liquid smoke to this recipe. I prefer my sauces without smoke of the liquid variety. I feel that smoke flavor in food is best when it comes from smoking the food and not from a chemical additive. However, there are times when added smoke flavor can work in a barbeque sauce, it’s up to you if you prefer it that way.
Tennessee Whiskey Barbeque Sauce
1/2 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup Tennessee whiskey
2 cups ketchup
6 oz (1 small can) tomato paste
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 Tbs salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Tabasco
In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic and whiskey. Simmer for ten minutes or until the onions are translucent and you have the desired amount of whiskey remaining. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
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