{"id":1333,"date":"2018-05-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-24T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.omahasteaks.com\/cooking-with-whiskey\/"},"modified":"2023-12-05T21:07:18","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T21:07:18","slug":"cooking-with-whiskey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omahasteaks.com\/blog\/recipes\/cooking-with-whiskey\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Cook with Whiskey"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.21.2″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Beer-basted barbeque? Been there. Drenched a dish in wine? Done that. Okay then, when was the last time you\u2019ve whisked whiskey? \u2026 Yep, that\u2019s what we thought.<\/p>\n

If you think whiskey is only<\/em> to be sipped rather than sizzled on a steak<\/a>, then let us be the first to tell you: you\u2019re wrong. And you\u2019re missing out. With the right type, whiskey (or whisky, if you\u2019re a Scot or a Canuck) can sizzle with the best of them.<\/p>\n

But there are many to choose from with many styles Fort Knoxian in price, so which is the \u201cright type?\u201d For that, let\u2019s begin with the basics.<\/p>\n

So what in the world is Whisk(e)y anyway?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Take it away, WhiskyAdvocate.com<\/em>: \u201cWhisky is nothing more than distilled beer.\u201d<\/p>\n

And what\u2019s beer? Delicious. Also, it\u2019s malted barley and other grains, and yeast \u2014 the ingredient that converts the grains\u2019 sugars to alcohol.\u00a0<\/p>\n

All that sugar creates a sweet liquid that beer brewers balance out by adding bitter hops. Whisky makers, on the other hand, have an alternate balancing method: locking it up in oak casks for a couple years. Before the cask treatment, they\u2019ll distill the beer in a still.<\/p>\n

These three elements \u2014 the grains, distillation method, and casks chosen\u00a0\u2014\u00a0are the primary factors in what gives each whiskey its distinct taste.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the deal with Scotch Whisky and Bourbon Whiskey?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Scotch is whisky made in Scotland (notice the missing \u201ce\u201d!) and made mostly from malted barley. Bourbon is whiskey made in the U.S.A. (our \u201ce\u201d is back!) distilled from grains (or \u201cmash\u201d) containing at least 51% corn.<\/p>\n

We can even break down the U.S.A. Bourbon Whiskies a bit further. Three major kinds are Tennessee Whiskey (i.e. Jack Daniel\u2019s), which is filtered through sugar-maple charcoal after the spirit is distilled, and Kentucky Whiskey (i.e. Jim Beam) which goes through the standard whiskey-making process. On top of those two, there\u2019s American Rye Whiskey (i.e. Templeton Rye) which is distilled from at least 51% rye. Think of rye bread and you\u2019re almost there.<\/p>\n

What will the Whiskey do for my cooking?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ah, now we\u2019re getting to the good stuff. Think of whiskey as less of a direct ingredient and more like, to quote The Guardian<\/em>, \u201cthe alcoholic equivalent of salt.\u201d From seafood to smoked meats to desserts, whiskey\u2019s exceptionally wide flavor spectrum (brought to you by any number of combination of grains, distillation method, and casks) can bring out the best in any food it touches.<\/p>\n

The spirit evaporates or \u201ccooks off\u201d in the process. It\u2019s during this evaporation when the spirit\u2019s various flavors are concentrated, bonding with your food\u2019s fat and water molecules (science!) and infusing it with an aroma and taste that makes the entire experiment worthwhile.<\/p>\n

Friendly word of warning: There\u2019s a reason The Guardian<\/em> calls whiskey a salt and not a sauce. Whiskies, by their very nature, boast a flavor-intensity that wine and beer can only dream of. So if this is your first experience, just remember: a little dab\u2019ll do ya.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m ready to give it a shot. Got any tips?<\/strong><\/h2>\n