can you reduce bourbon

This sweet and sticky bourbon glaze is perfect for painting over chicken, shrimp, steak, burgers and more!

Think of this bourbon glaze, not so much as a cooking sauce, but as a magic potion to get the man in your life to eat whatever you put in front of him. Just prepare your favorite protein and slather on a bit of this magic sauce, and voila! It will magically be consumed by a happy husband!

Bourbon glaze is a reduction of bourbon whiskey mixed with flavorings such as pineapple juice, brown sugar, and molasses. My whiskey glaze sauce packs a balanced sweet and deep smoky flavor. This versatile glaze can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to be used.

To add the flavor of bourbon to a dessert without adding the harshness of the alcohol, try reducing it on the stove first. This trick is especially useful for things that don’t get cooked, like panna cotta or frostings, in which the alcohol won’t otherwise have a chance to burn off.

How to Make a Bourbon Glaze

Reducing a sauce can be intimidating for novice cooks, but it is actually dead simple. Basically, the longer the sauce cooks, the more water evaporates. The more water that evaporates, the thicker the sauce gets. Easy peasy, right?

To make this bourbon glaze you simply add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan (affiliate link) and bring to a boil. As the mixture boils the sauce will thicken. It is done when it is the consistency of maple syrup.

TIP: If a reduction gets too thick you can thin it out by adding a couple of dribbles of water. If it is too thin, just simmer it longer to evaporate more liquid.

I feel like Ive been missing out on something. My friends cant say enough about the taste of dark liquor. I picture them sitting by the fire every night sipping a glass of fine whiskey or bourbon with a sleeping Lab beside their easy chair. Im a vodka, red wine, and occasional beer kind of guy. Ive tried to go to the dark side, but I always end up pouring out my drink after an hour or two of trying to like it. Even the finest, most expensive small-batch bourbons are lost on me. Perhaps Ill never appreciate a good glass of whiskey, but Ill keep trying.

Heat butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Add garlic, onion, and brown sugar. Cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, about three to four minutes. In a bowl, combine broth with bourbon. Remove saucepan from heat and away from any flames before stirring in the broth and bourbon mixture. Return saucepan to the stove, bring to a boil, and reduce the liquid by half. Add cream and cook until the sauce is thickened and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For safety reasons, cooking with any alcohol demands your complete attention. Always remove the sauce from the heat source before you add the alcohol. Even a hot skillet can ignite a splash of alcohol. Flames look cool in a pan when a chef makes it happen on TV, but its all for show and completely unnecessary.

On the other hand, I very much like adding whiskey to a barbecue sauce, stew, or pan sauce, where it imparts a subtle character much like you get from wine. It can be added to a salmon glaze, cream sauce, or marinade. If alcohol isnt your thing, simply reduce a cup or so of whiskey in an open saucepan and the alcohol will evaporate, leaving behind a malty liquid that can then be added to a recipe.

Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and rosemary and cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, about three to four minutes. Remove skillet from heat and away from any flames. Stir in remaining ingredients. Return to heat and simmer for four to five minutes or until sauce has thickened.

How to Drink Bourbon the Right Way

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What can you use Bourbon reductions for?

Bourbon reductions make a delectable glaze or sauce for roasted chicken, baked ham, grilled steak, seafood dishes and even mashed potatoes. Cooking alcohol in a pan over medium heat or when in the oven used as a basting liquid or marinade will reduce most of the alcohol through evaporation, but not all.

What is the healthier substitute of Bourbon?

Bourbon is a type of American whiskey, distilled from a mash made from primarily of corn. Best non alcohol substitute for bourbon are non-alcoholic vanilla extract, peach nectar mixed with apple cider vinegar, almond extract, ginger beer, non alcoholic bourbon extract.

What can you do with Bourbon?

When the taste is to your liking, strain the bourbon, saving the fruit for desserts like a boozy bourbon apple pie. Use the bourbon to create imaginative cocktails at home, like trying apple whiskey mixed with bubbly wine for a sweet, earthy, refreshing aperitif. Just the thought of bacon bourbon makes our mouths water.

How to improve Bourbon taste?

One of the easiest ways to upgrade the taste of your favorite bottle is to ensure you are using the correct type of glass. The type of glass you use when drinking bourbon can affect the flavors and aromas of the whiskey, so utilizing quality glassware will ensure complete drinking pleasure.