Grill Interrupted

I had the opportunity to attend a very special birthday party this past week. Jack Daniel, legendary whiskey maker, would be 160 years old this month.

While many are familiar with the famous Tennessee whiskey, Jack was a pretty fascinating guy too. You can go read up on the man behind the drink here.

Jack’s 160th birthday bash was held at the swanky Drake hotel in Toronto, and the Jack Daniel’s folks didn’t disappoint. Before the party got started, master distiller, Jeff Arnett, gave us a brief talk on the history and pride that makes JD so special. He also walked us through a tasting of their various offerings: the refined Gentleman’s Jack, the unique Single Barrel, and good Old No. 7. Tasting these classics, side by side, gave me a whole new appreciation for each of the brands, and what makes each distinct.

I also learned how Jack Daniel’s differentiates itself from bourbon. Jack mellowed his drink, drop by drop, through 10 feet of maple sugar charcoal. A process that’s still carefully followed today. As Jack insisted, “Every day we make it, we’ll make it the best that we can.”

I’ve lined up a couple of recipes in honour of Mr. Jack’s 160th – Jack’s Slow-Barbecued Tennessee Brisket, followed later this week by Jacked Nectarine Ice Cream Sundaes with Pound Cake Croutons.

The Jack infused BBQ sauce below is bold in an HP Sauce kind of way – and as it slowly carmelizes over 4 hours, it becomes delectably great.

So, raise a toast of your favourite Jack Daniel’s, in honour of the man himself. Happy Birthday, Jack!

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Jack’s Slow-Barbecued Tennessee Brisket

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1/2 cup ‘Don’t Leave Home Without It’ Dry Rub

Brisket:

1 whole beef brisket, about 5 pounds
Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Sauce (recipe below)

Preparation:

1. Preheat a grill on High heat. Rub the brisket with the spice rub.
2. Place the brisket on the grill and brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to Low. Brush the top with Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Sauce and turn the brisket over.
3. Close the cover of the grill and slowly barbecue the brisket until tender, about 4 hours, flipping and basting with barbecue sauce every 30 minutes.
4. Remove the brisket from the grill, brush generously with barbecue sauce, let rest for 15 minutes, and slice thinly against the grain. Serve with remaining sauce.

Jack Daniels Barbecue Sauce:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
3 cups good quality barbecue sauce
1 cup Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over Medium-High heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
2. Turn to Medium, add the chile powder and cook 2 minutes more. Add the barbecue sauce and bring to a boil.
3. Add the Jack Daniels, bring to a boil, and cook to burn the alcohol off, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and puree with an immersion blender.

Filed under: Recipe on September 4th, 2010 | Comments Off on Jack’s Slow-Barbecued Tennessee Brisket

This pie. You need to try it.

It’s as delicious as I’d hoped. I mean, rustic beef stew layered between a delectable, flaky crust. How can you go wrong?

And if you want to see me making a fool of myself as I try to sound like Gordon Ramsay, but come off sounding a lot more like Jamie Oliver… Check me out on YouTube.

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Steak & Guinness Pie with a Puff Pastry Lid

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium red onions, peeled and chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped
4 cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 pounds of stewing beef, cut into 2cm cubes
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 can of Guinness
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 pound puff pastry
1 large egg, beaten

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. In a large ovenproof pan, heat olive oil on Medium heat. Add the onions and fry 10 minutes.
2. Turn the heat to High, add the garlic, butter, carrots, celery and mushrooms. Mix everything together before stirring in the beef, rosemary, a pinch of salt and a level teaspoon of pepper.
3. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, then pour in the Guinness, stir in the flour and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, cover the pan with a lid and place in the preheated oven for about 1½ hours.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and give the stew a stir. Put it back into the oven and continue to cook it for another 30 minutes.
5. Place the pan on the stove on High heat, and reduce until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper, leave to cool slightly.
6. Cut about a third of the pastry off the block. Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll both pieces of pastry out evenly with a floured rolling pin. Grease an appropriately sized pie dish (I used a deep 9.5″ dish), then line with the larger sheet, leaving the edges dangling over the side. Tip the stew into your lined dish and even it out. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little beaten egg.
7. Cut the other rolled sheet of pastry to fit the top of the pie dish and criss-cross it lightly with a sharp knife. Place it over the top of the pie and fold the overhanging pastry on to the pastry lid to make it look nice and rustic. Brush the top with beaten egg, then bake the pie directly on the bottom of the oven, until the pastry is cooked, puffed and golden, about 30 to 45 minuted.

Filed under: Recipe on August 30th, 2010 | 2 Comments »

There are few desserts that tempt me as much as coconut cupcakes. The soft, vanilla cake; the smooth, velvety cream cheese frosting; and the sweet, crunchy shredded coconut. Truly, a taste and texture celebration for the mouth.

These days, with so many bakers trying to one up one another, it can be difficult to peer through the bacon infused, molten middled, ganache topped cupcake selections. Yet, it is always there to be found, white, on white, on white: The beautiful coconut cupcake. My first choice, always.

The recipe below will allow you to duplicate this marvel in your own home.

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Coconut Cupcakes

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Serves: 18 to 20

Ingredients:

3/4 pounds unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces (~4 cups) sweetened, shredded coconut
Cream cheese icing, prepared (recipe here)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.
4. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. Alternately, add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry.
7. Mix until just combined. Fold in 2 cups of coconut.
8. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each cup to the top with batter.
9. Bake until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes.
10. Allow to cool in the pan, about 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
11. Frost with cream cheese icing and sprinkle with remaining coconut.

Filed under: Recipe on August 23rd, 2010 | Comments Off on Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting