Bourbon marinade is a popular marinade made with bourbon whiskey as one of the main ingredients. It adds great flavor to meats like beef, chicken, and pork when used as a marinade. The bourbon gives the meat a sweet, smoky, and slightly boozy flavor that is quite delicious. In addition to bourbon, bourbon marinades also contain other ingredients like spices, herbs, oil, vinegar or other acidic components that help tenderize and add more flavor to the meat.
Main Ingredients in Bourbon Marinade
Here are the main ingredients commonly used to make bourbon marinade:
Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon whiskey is the star ingredient and gives the marinade its signature flavor. You’ll need about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of bourbon for a typical marinade recipe. Go for a good quality bourbon instead of the cheap stuff to get the best flavor. Some good bourbons to use include Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, Jim Beam, and Knob Creek.
Oil
The oil helps the marinade coat and stick to the meat. It also prevents the meat from drying out during cooking. Vegetable oil, olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or other neutral flavored oils work well. Use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of oil.
Acidic Ingredient
An acidic component like vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice etc helps tenderize the meat and balance out the sweetness of the bourbon. Apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, orange juice etc are great options. Use 2-4 tablespoons depending on what ingredient you choose.
Herbs and Spices
Herbs and spices add lots of extra flavor to the marinade. Some good options include rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic, shallots, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder etc. Use about 1-2 tablespoons of dried herbs/spices or 2-4 tablespoons of fresh herbs.
Sweetener
A touch of sweetness enhances the flavors of the bourbon marinade. Honey, brown sugar, maple syrup or molasses work very well. Use 1-2 tablespoons depending on your preference.
Soy Sauce or Worcestershire Sauce
These umami-rich ingredients boost the savory flavors of the marinade. Use 1-2 tablespoons in your recipe.
How to Make Bourbon Marinade
Making bourbon marinade is very easy. Here are the simple steps:
1. In a bowl or resealable plastic bag, combine the bourbon, oil, acidic ingredient, herbs/spices, sweetener, soy/Worcestershire sauce.
2. Whisk or shake the ingredients together until well blended.
3. Place the meat in the marinade and turn to coat it evenly from all sides.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours, or preferably overnight. Turn the meat occasionally in the marinade.
5. Remove meat from marinade and cook as desired, discarding excess marinade.
Bourbon Marinade Ratio
As a general guideline, use the following ratio of ingredients to make about 1 cup of bourbon marinade:
– 1/2 cup bourbon
– 1/4 cup oil
– 2-4 tablespoons acidic ingredient like vinegar
– 1-2 tablespoons each dried herbs/spices OR 2-4 tablespoons fresh herbs
– 1-2 tablespoons sweetener like honey or maple syrup
– 1-2 tablespoons soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
You can adjust these amounts based on how strong you want the bourbon flavor versus the other ingredients. Always marinate in the refrigerator.
Meat Choices for Bourbon Marinade
Bourbon marinade pairs deliciously with these meats:
Beef
Flank steak, sirloin steak, tri-tip, brisket, ribeye, filet mignon, London broil, hanger steak.
Pork
Pork chops, pork tenderloin, pork ribs, pork roast.
Chicken
Chicken thighs, chicken breasts, chicken wings, whole chicken.
Turkey
Turkey breasts or thighs.
Lamb
Lamb chops, lamb shanks, leg of lamb.
Seafood
Shrimp, salmon, tuna, scallops, tilapia.
The bourbon gives all these meats a wonderful sweet and smoky flavor.
How Long to Marinate Meat in Bourbon Marinade?
For best results, marinate the meat for:
| Meat | Marinating Time |
|---|---|
| Steaks, chops, chicken pieces | 2-4 hours |
| Roasts, whole chicken, lamb | 4-8 hours or overnight |
Marinating longer allows the flavors to penetrate deeper into the meat. Always keep it refrigerated while marinating.
Cooking Methods for Bourbon Marinated Meat
There are many great ways to cook meats after marinating in a bourbon marinade:
Grilling
Grilling over direct high heat is a popular cooking method as it gives the meat a nice char. Steaks, chops, chicken pieces all taste amazing grilled.
Broiling
Broil in the oven 3-4 inches from heat if you want a similar charred effect as grilling.
Pan Searing
Cook the meat in a very hot skillet with a little oil to get browning. Good for thinner cuts.
Roasting
Roast in the oven at 350°F for larger cuts like whole chicken, pork roast etc.
Braising
For tougher meats like brisket or lamb shanks, braise on the stovetop or in the oven until fork tender.
Smoking
Use your smoker or grill with some wood chips to infuse even more smoky flavor. Great for roasts, ribs etc.
Substitutions for Bourbon in Marinade
If you want to avoid alcohol, you can use these substitutes in place of the bourbon:
– Beef, chicken or vegetable broth or stock
– Apple cider
– Fruit juices like orange, apple, pineapple, cranberry
– Coke or Dr. Pepper
While the flavor won’t be exactly the same, these subs will still give a sweetness and moistness to the marinade. Use the same amount as you would bourbon.
Conclusion
Bourbon marinade made with bourbon whiskey, oil, spices, and acid gives meat incredible flavor. It works especially well with beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and lamb. Marinate the meat for 2-8 hours, then cook using methods like grilling, searing, roasting, braising or smoking. While bourbon is the classic choice, you can also use broth, cider or fruit juices. Give bourbon marinade a try for your next barbecue or dinner and enjoy its finger-licking delicious flavor.