A Bourbon Infused Feast
With its rich, complex flavors, bourbon adds a distinctive note to many dishes. No one knows that better than Peggy Noe Stevens and Susan Reigler, longtime bourbon aficionados who—between the two of them—have written numerous books and articles on the spirit, etiquette and entertaining. Their latest book, Which Fork Do I Use with My Bourbon?, contains a bounty of information on party planning, setting up the perfect bourbon bar, food pairings, cooking with bourbon, and much more, including the recipes featured here.
Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon-Barrel-Aged Beer Marinade
Serves 6
Many craft brewers (not just in Kentucky) are aging their beer in used bourbon barrels. This is usually done with dark brews such as stouts and porters, but some lighter ales are aged this way, too—notably, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale from Lexington, which is what we use in this recipe. But if you can find only bourbon-barrel-aged stout, give it a try and substitute a butterflied leg of lamb or lamb chops for the pork tenderloin. We highly recommend using soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper from Bourbon Barrel Foods.
2 pork tenderloins (2 to 3 pounds total)
1 cup olive oil
1 cup Bourbon Barrel Ale
1 teaspoon dried mustard powder
½ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1. Combine all the liquid ingredients and spices in a large baking dish and whisk. Pierce the meat all over with a fork and place it in the marinade. Marinate for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Remove marinated meat from the refrigerator about an hour before cooking to allow the meat to reach room temperature.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 30 minutes per pound. This is also great when cooked on the grill.
4. Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before slicing. In the meantime, pour the marinade into a saucepan and boil to reduce slightly. This makes a flavorful sauce to serve over the meat.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Which Fork Do I Use with My Bourbon? published by the University Press of Kentucky.