Smokin' Hot Whisky and Barbecue

Great barbecue is a labor of love. Whether it’s cooking your meats low and slow over carefully calibrated woodsmoke or monitoring your grill’s hot and cool spots with obsessive attention to detail, great homemade barbecue takes time. These days, no one does it better than Dominique Leach, co-owner, chef, and pitmaster of Lexington Betty Smokehouse, the Black and woman-owned Chicago barbecue standout. Leach has also made a name for herself as a rising Food Network star, with appearances on “Chopped: Playing with Fire,” “Fire Masters,” and more.

Chef Leach has created a fantastic menu that incorporates both the smoker and the grill. For whisky recommendations, we reached out to Abe Vucekovich, former lead bartender and general manager at Chicago’s The Violet Hour and current beverage director of Meadowlark Hospitality. Between Leach’s food and Vucekovich’s whisky pairings, summertime just got a lot tastier.

APPETIZER

Grilled Prawns with Charred Sweet Chili Cabbage

Serves 4

• 20 shrimp (size 16-24)
• 1 half head of purple cabbage, split
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• Juice of 2 lemons
• ½ cup sweet chili sauce
• 1 amarillo pepper, minced

Rub the two quarters of the head of cabbage with oil, salt, and pepper. Grill all three sides directly over a medium flame for 7 minutes or until evenly charred. It’s okay if the rounded sides are a little less done, as long as the flat sides are well-charred. Set aside and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then julienne the cabbage. Add lemon juice, sweet chili sauce, and amarillo pepper to the cabbage. Toss to combine.

Toss the shrimp in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 5 minutes on each side. To plate, spoon one quarter of the slaw and place 5 grilled shrimp on top.

COCKTAIL

Yuzu Highball

2 oz. J.T.S. Brown (or other bottled in bond bourbon)
4 oz. Fever Tree lime and yuzu soda
Long lemon peel for garnish

Add lime and yuzu soda to a Collins glass. Add ice 3/4 of the way to the top. Add whiskey. Stir twice. Add more ice (ice should completely fill the glass). Stir once more. Garnish with lemon peel.

NEAT PAIRING: Old Fitzgerald 80 Proof
“This bourbon is smooth, luscious, bright, and accessible,” says Vucekovich. “Like butter on medium toasted wheat bread, this bourbon should be in everyone’s toolbox.” Its inherent sweetness works well alongside the sweet chili sauce and serves as an excellent counterpoint to the amarillo pepper.

SPLURGE PICK: Takamine 8 year old
“This koji-fermented whisky is rested in bourbon barrels, so [there is] a lot of residual warmth,” Vucekovich explains. “The koji-fermented barley lends itself to a flavor that reminds me of charred asparagus over an open fire. It would sing alongside this dish.”

ENTREE

Smoked Honey Gochujang Glazed St. Louis Pork Ribs with Honey BBQ Sauce

Serves 4

• 2 racks St. Louis pork ribs, approx. 2 lbs. each
• ¾ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup bourbon
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1 ½ tsp. ground pepper
• 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Add all ingredients except the ribs to a bowl. Stir to combine. Slather onto ribs, coating them entirely. Let the ribs marinate for 4 hours, covered and refrigerated.

Smoke the ribs over applewood for 3½ hours at 230° F, turning every 30 minutes. If you don’t have a smoker, add applewood to your grill, heat it to 230° F, and cook for 3 ½ hours, turning every 30 minutes.

Honey Dipping Sauce

• ¼ cup honey
• 2 Tbsp. hot water
• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup gochujang
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. sugar

Whisk all items together. Use to coat the ribs before serving or serve on the side as a dipping sauce.

COCKTAIL

Brass Tacks

• 2 oz. Old Grand-Dad bottled in bond (or other bonded bourbon)
• ¼ oz. orgeat syrup
• 2 dashes chocolate bitters Root beer bitters
• Lemon peel

Chill a rocks glass. Stir bourbon, orgeat syrup, and chocolate bitters in a mixing glass with ice for 20 seconds. Rinse chilled rocks glass with root beer bitters. Strain cocktail into glass. Express lemon peel over the cocktail, then discard.

NEAT PAIRING: Old Grand-Dad 114
Vucekovich suggests that the clove and cinnamon notes of the whiskey pair beautifully with the honey glaze of the ribs, leading to “a long rich finish that coats all parts of your mouth.”

SPLURGE PICK: Blanton’s Single Barrel Gold Edition
“This higher-proof expression of Blanton’s well-loved bourbon [offers] big dried fruit, toasted almond, and honey on the mid-palate and a long clove finish that will stand up to the subtle pepper spice of the gochujang glaze without fighting with the dish for attention.” It is, he says, “a nice, subtle, and nuanced supporting sipper to counterpoint a lovely big-flavored dish.”

SIDE DISH

Chinese Broccoli with Garlic-Ginger Miso

Serves 4

• 1 lb. Chinese broccoli
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. minced ginger
• 1 oz. miso paste
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp. chile pepper Vegetable oil

Blanch and shock the broccoli in ice water (30 to 60 seconds until bright green). Dry thoroughly. Toss the broccoli in vegetable oil and char on the grill, 2 minutes on each side. Over medium heat, sauté the garlic, add ginger, miso paste, soy sauce, and chile pepper. Add broccoli to the sauté pan. Serve hot.

WHISKEY BARBECUE SAUCE

• 1 cup ketchup
• ½ cup Maker’s Mark (or other bourbon)
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. light molasses
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
• 1½ tsp. liquid smoke
• 1 tsp. Tete seasoning (see note)
• ½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is reduced to 2 ¼ cups, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

Note: Tete seasoning is the in-house, all-purpose spice blend that chef Leach uses. It’s equal parts garlic powder, onion powder, and Lawry’s seasoned salt.

DESSERT

Peach Tarte Tatin with Salty Caramel Whiskey Sauce and Chopped Almonds

Serves 4

• 5-6 peaches (about 2 ½ pounds), peeled, cored, and sliced
• 2 Tbsp. salad oil
• ½ cup sugar Pinch of salt
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 oz. Maker’s Mark (or other bourbon)
• All-purpose flour for dusting
• 1 14 oz. package of all-butter puff pastry (preferably Dufour brand), thawed in the refrigerator
• 2 Tbsp. chopped almonds Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (optional)

Peel and slice the peaches. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate, loosely covered, for at least one day. (This key step reduces the amount of liquid in the tart.)

When ready to cook, heat oven to 350° F. Toss the peaches in salad oil and place on a hot grill until grill marks appear, about 30 seconds per side. Remove and let cool. Season the peaches with sugar and a pinch of salt.

Thickly coat the bottom of a 10-inch cast iron or heavy stainless steel ovenproof skillet, preferably nonstick metal, with butter. Sprinkle with a bit more sugar, to taste, evenly on top.

Heat the skillet over medium heat. Caramelize the sugar until golden brown, no longer than 6 minutes. Stir in the whiskey and whisk to incorporate into the caramel. Remove from heat.

Arrange the peach slices in the skillet, laying each one on a flat side, in concentric circles, all in the same direction. Keep the pieces close together; they should look like the petals of a flower.

On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry about 1/8-inch thick. Place a bowl or pan (about the same size as the skillet) upside down on the pastry and use the tip of a sharp knife to cut out a circle. Place the circle on top of the peaches. Using your hands, tuck the pastry around the peach slices. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until puff pastry is browned and firm. Let cool 5 minutes, then carefully flip onto a round serving plate. If any peaches remain stuck in the pan, use a spatula to remove them, and rearrange on the pastry shell.

While the tarte is cooking, toast the almonds in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool. Sprinkle on top of tarte before serving. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

COCKTAIL

Black Old Fashioned

1 ½ oz. Four Roses Small Batch (or other bourbon)
½ oz. Amaro Averna
1 barspoon demerara syrup (2:1 sugar to water)
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Lemon peel, for garnish

Add all ingredients to a rocks glass. Add one large piece of ice, stir, and garnish with lemon peel.

NEAT PAIRING: Journeyman Last Feather Rye
This is “a well-balanced rye,” notes Vucekovich. With “a fruited nose and spicy undertones, it has just the right amount of warm baking spice, toffee, and caramel to play along with the nuttiness and rich nature of the peach tarte Tatin without being a bully.”

SPLURGE PICK: Weller 12 year old
“This is the bourbon of my dreams,” admits Vucekovich. “Perfect balance of age [and] the mellowest of wheated mashes results in flavor that sings at a lower lullaby proof. I wish this wasn’t so hard to come by. It’s like a wonderful Daniel Day-Lewis acting performance— you get lost in the subtleties and believe you are someone else.”

GRILLING AND SMOKING TIPS FROM CHEF LEACH

• Soak wood chips in water overnight. The water content helps the chips produce more smoke, which increases the smoke flavor.
• After removing your meat from the grill or smoker, let it rest for 5 minutes. This seals the juices and keeps the meat from drying out.
• Don’t overfill your grill or smoker. The meat needs to have space around it for airflow; this will make sure the meat cooks evenly.
• When smoking, use wood from fruit trees for extra flavor. Try adding it to your charcoal on a grill or smoker. My favorite is apple wood.
• Try adding grilled fruit to your next cocktail. Grilling the fruit adds a smoky quality to the sweetness of the fresh summer fruit. Peaches and pineapples work particularly well for this.
• Start with a clean grill.
• It’s okay to lift the lid, but remember that you’re losing temperature every time you do.
• Allow the type of meat you’re cooking to determine the type of heat you use. If you’re grilling something like skirt steak, you can use direct heat. Any large piece of meat should be grilled over indirect heat so the cook is low and slow. You may want to start bone-in meats first, since they tend to take longer.