It may come as no surprise that the backyard barbecue is big this year and we’re fortunate enough here on Vancouver Island to have that season extend well into September!
In light of the drastic changes we’ve seen in the world, we are finding new ways to gather with the people we love, and outdoor barbecues are an ideal solution! If you’re looking for ways to impress your bubble, then look no further! We have some great whisky and scotch pairings to compliment any backyard feast.
Pairing Bourbon with Barbeque
Bourbon is a natural pairing for anything you put on a smoker or char on a grill. It doesn’t matter if it’s mesquite, cherry or apple, woodsmoke calls out to the oak in the bourbon. Likewise, a little char on your steak or chicken makes a bourbon feel right at home. After all, it has spent years resting in charred oak barrels.
Pork and chicken are easy bourbon pairings - both for cooking and drinking. You can make a bourbon maple glaze for drumsticks or chops. If you’re smoking a pork shoulder or ribs and basting it with a mop, try adding a little bourbon to your basting sauce or bbq sauce. Be careful, though, on an open flame high-proof bourbon can make things very exciting! Be prepared to douse the occasional flare up.
Corn is another can’t miss bourbon pairing. It is, after all, the mother grain. Simple grilled corn on the cob is delicious. If you want to take it to the next level make it into Mexican elotes for corn with all the flavours.
On a warm afternoon, bourbon on the rocks is great with a big cube of ice slowly melting into it. An old fashioned is also always a great choice, but if you want a lower proof thirst quencher to get you through the afternoon, a Bourbon Ginger Lemonade is next level.
Pairing Scotch with Barbeque
Scotch and seafood are natural friends. Wild caught pacific salmon cooked on cedar and paired with a light, and lightly peated, whisky like Highland Park is so good. Peat and smoked just make sense together.
Oysters and peaty Islay Scotch are the one pairing that all the cool kids are into. Try putting a few drops of a good peaty Islay scotch like Laphroaig or Ardbeg in the shell with the oyster. We've used a herb butter on ours! Of course, you can just drink the scotch along with the oysters. The smoky peat character of the scotch will make the oysters taste a little bit sweeter. Also, the touch of salinity characteristic of Islay Scotch works well with the oyster brine.
Again, a glass of Scotch is great on its own and to be fair it doesn’t often take center stage in cocktails. However, it does bring singular flavours to the table and there is no reason not to turn that dram into a tall cold drink. Lighter, more refined Lowlands Scotches like Auchentoshan American Oak lend themselves to cocktails. I’d recommend this version of the Kentucky Buck made with Auchentoshan Single Malt, the Lowlands Stag.
The most important part of hosting any backyard bbq this autumn is of course, to socialize responsibly while keeping in touch with your closest friends and family. Have fun experiementing with your favourite whisky and let us know what your most successful barbeque pairings have been.
Bourbon Ginger Lemonade
Recipe
This lemonade combines bourbon and ginger for a flavour packed twist on an old classic.
