Barbecuing with Bourbon

Grilled tofu for Barbecue Month! #BourbonBBQ

Things haven’t been going my way lately. Well, nothing terrible actually – just a string of bad luck I kind of have to laugh at. First of all, the kids and I got lice. Yes, lice (go ahead and scratch your head). Memorial Day weekend is supposed to be all about cooking out and spending time with friends and family, but ours was mostly spent doing laundry, vacuuming and placing items in plastic bags. I also agreed to foster a couple of kittens this weekend who turned out to have fleas. Great, more insect fun! And if that wasn’t enough, we got a flat tire in the family mobile.

Tuesday night was the night to have a peaceful family meal – to finally grill out and try the Four Roses Bourbon for which I was asked to make a barbecue marinade. In honor of National Barbecue Month, Four Roses asked select bloggers to create a barbecue recipe using their bourbon (#BourbonBBQ). I had been plotting my recipe all month and finally had a chance to tackle it.

We had a chance to barbecue after the chaos subsided. We bought some beautiful bone in pork chops and were set to go. I popped some sweet potatoes in the oven, whipped up a marinade and get the pork chops out to baste. I carefully unwrapped the paper and got a whiff of something funny. OK, this pork chops do not smell right! It’s past 5 o' clock and I’m on a mission to salvage dinner. The only other meat I had is in the freezer and there’s no time to thaw. What the heck can I grill with this marinade? After surveying the fridge, it looks like tofu is my only hope. Meat lovers may scoff, but I love tofu and my kids do too. Tofu with a bourbon marinade – who would have thought? Turns out it was pretty tasty. My husband, the grillmaster, grilled it with some veggies and we ended up having a nice dinner after all – albeit a little late.

Special thanks to Four Roses Bourbon who allowed me to try out their Single Barrel brand. It is simply delightful in drinks and marinades this one. Try out this marinade the next time to barbecue pork, chicken or yes, even tofu. Happy grilling! 

Bourbon Barbecue Marinade

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons of Four Roses bourbon

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sorghum syrup (if you don’t have this molasses will work)

2 teaspoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon celery salt

Dash of sea salt

Pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until blended. Store any leftover marinade in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Tips on Grilling Tofu

·         Choose firm or extra firm tofu for best results.

·         Place whole tofu cube on a plate and cover with another plate. Stack two cans or heavy objects on top and allow tofu to drain for about 20 minutes.

·         Pour off excess water and cut tofu into four slabs.

·         Brush on marinade and allow it to sit for a few minutes while the grill warms up.

·         Grill on low heat. Allow to cook each side for about 5-6 minutes.