Rachael Ray's Choice Whiskey For Bold Barbecue Sauce
Rachel Ray of Food Network fame loves to add Southern Comfort to her barbecue sauce for baby back ribs. Southern Comfort is an appropriate ingredient to build in because it cuts the sweetness of the barbecue sauce slightly while introducing a zesty finish. Each whiskey has its own unique characteristics and flavor profile, and Southern Comfort offers notes of apricot and orange and a satisfying mellow result. Sticky, flavorful, and tangy, these ribs have a mouthwatering taste that sets them apart from other recipes.
Including Southern Comfort in foods isn't actually unusual. The wonderfully diverse and complex liquor works well in many dishes because while it's technically classified as a liqueur, it performs and tastes just as a whiskey would. In fact, even Southern Comfort refers to itself as a whiskey.
Invented in 1874 in New Orleans, the original recipe for Southern Comfort blended fruits and spices with low-grade whiskey to deepen its body and smoothness. And although there have been some recipe changes over the years, the infusions remain as core elements and a small amount of this sweet nectar transforms Ray's barbecue sauce into a palate-pleaser with just the right zip.
Whiskey elevates barbecue sauce to a new level
With a mom from Sicily and a dad from Louisiana, Ray draws on her heritage and experiments with interesting ingredient blends. Boosting barbecue sauce with sultry Southern Comfort is a good example of her innovation and culinary curiosity. This is a homemade, uncomplicated barbecue sauce that doesn't require you to devote a lengthy time commitment.
Preparing the barbecue sauce for Ray's Southern Comfort Glazed Baby Back Ribs begins by combining tomato sauce and chicken stock. Adjust the sweet, acidic flavor balance with light brown sugar, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Add chopped garlic and onion, sprinkle with coarsely ground pepper, and simmer all until bubbly hot. This barbecue sauce has a bold taste with Southern Comfort revealing a new flavor edge and the dish taking an unexpected and savory detour that draws together tones of smoky, spicy, and honey.