Peach Bourbon BBQ Sauce #BourbonBBQ

Summer... it's here!!  And that means grilling season is upon us.  Well, here in San Diego grilling season is pretty much an all year round affair, but with May deemed National BBQ Month we are right now all about food over the open fire.  When grilling, whether it be chicken, salmon, vegetables or even pizza (yes, we grill our pizza!), condiments become a key ingredient to success.

And what's speaks more to grilling or BBQing than a good, sweet and tangy BBQ Sauce?  Different parts of the country will have very strong opinions as to what a "good" and "proper" BBQ Sauce is.  For example... dining in Memphis?  The sauce served will most likely be a thinner, tomato based sauce with a heavy tang of vinegar.  Or how about the Carolina's?  Here BBQ means pork, and only pork, and usually a mustard based sauce often with some sort of slaw on the side.  Kansas City?  Perhaps the most recognizable BBQ Sauce type, this sauce tends to be sweeter, heavy on the tomato and with only a slight vinegar tang and perhaps a trace of smoke.

But what about California?  Here just about anything goes, and today we bring you a sweet yet tangy Peach Bourbon BBQ Sauce.  Inspired by Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, this sauce includes caramelized sauteed onions enhanced with the rich bourbon flavors and then combined with sweet, fresh peaches.  Going  California style, our sauce is perfect with grilled salmon or chicken, but also a wonderful addition to pulled pork.

Having spent three years of my life living in Louisville, Kentucky, bourbon has a special place in my heart.  To be a true Bourbon, the product must be distilled only in the US.  While it may be distilled anywhere in the US, you will find most Bourbons are distilled in Kentucky.  Bourbons must be aged in new, charred oak barrels and must be distilled from at least 51% corn.  Different distillers use varying combinations of other grains including rye, barley, and wheat, but the corn must stay at 51%.

When bottled, all Bourbons must be at least 80 proof, though many will exceed this requirement.  However unlike many other distilled spirits, Bourbon may not contain any artificial colorings or additives, hence, the caramel color of bourbon comes only from the barrel it was aged in.

Four Roses, like most other bourbons, hails from Kentucky with its distillery located in Lawrenceburg.  It's said that Four Roses founder, Paul Jones Jr. became smitten by the beauty of a southern belle.  After proposing to the belle, she replied that if the answer was "Yes", she would wear a corsage of roses to the upcoming grand ball.  Arriving in a beautiful gown also she wore a corsage of 4 red roses, and Mr. Jones named his Bourbon "Four Roses" as a symbol of his passion for his lovely belle.

Thank you to Four Roses for sending us samples of their single barrel bourbon whiskey and for bringing a little bit of Kentucky to our California home.  Whether you live in the East, South, North or West, Peach Bourbon BBQ Sauce is sure to enhance your meal for National BBQ Month.  #BourbonBBQ  Definitely a reason to get outside and grill!

Chunky Peach BBQ Sauce with Grilled Pork Tenderloin - a Food Photography Challenge

BBQ... what does it mean to you?  In my childhood years, BBQ was more of a verb than a noun.  Dad would BBQ chicken, or maybe T-Bone Steaks on the weekend.  However, when my husband and I moved to Kentucky early in our marriage, BBQ became a "thing".  I must admit that I never did quite figure out what that "thing" was, but I know it's something traditional and not to be messed with.

Shortly after our move to Kentucky I happened to be chatting with a neighbor boy of about 10 years old and he mentioned that he "had BBQ last night".  In my naive California way I asked, "BBQed what?".  Perplexed he retorted, "What do you mean BBQed what?  We had BBQ!"  I never did figure out what "BBQ" was, but  know it was indeed special.

Moving back to California our new San Diego home included a fabulous built in grill.  Here we don't really BBQ, but I do grill 4-5 times a week.  I grill everything from the traditional chicken, fish and steak to garlic bread and pizza and even fruit and veggies.  I look upon my grill as my BFF.  We have a wonderful relationship as long as I pay attention to her - meaning not forgetting that I have something cooking.

With this month's Food Photography Challenge for my photography group, The Inspired Plate, posted as BBQ, I must admit to being in a bit of a quandy.  Should I go traditional with meat doused in a viniagery sauce (BBQ) or work on something a little more out there like our favorite grilled pizza?

Once again, Dad provided the answer.  Nothing says summer quite like the rosy kissed cheeks of a tender, fuzzy peach, and with an occasional bag of the fragrant, sweet stone fruits appearing on my doorstep, I know Dad has been thinking of me.

Yesterday, such a bag appeared, and wending peaches into this month's Food Photography Challenge didn't prove to be a difficult decision.  Photographing said BBQ, though, did prove to be quite a challenge.

Meat has always proved to be difficult for me to capture nicely.  Frankly, I don't really think meat is "pretty", or even attractive.  Sizzling away on the grill, meat is indeed mouthwatering, and a nice, juicy fillet topped with a pat of herb butter can even almost appear sexy.  Pork tenderloin, however, just didn't bring out those feelings for me.

With a fabulous Peach BBQ sauce simmering away on my stove, aromas of bacon, chipotle and sweet peach filled every corner of the house.  The pork slowly roasted over my low flame on the grill, and after a quick rest on the cutting board, the pork proved to be exceptionally tender and perfectly cooked.

Combining the steaming sauce and tender pork with a side of Aroz Verde, the plate actually held mouthwatering appeal.  Shooting as the sun set into the ocean just a few miles behind me, the light brought out the colors of the sauce and the rice contrasted nicely with its green hue.

As the setting sun dropped quickly and my teenage son hovered over his dinner, time was of the essence and after some 20 shots my shoot was deemed done.  The dinner, however, lasted far longer as my son and I lingered over our peaches and pork for an enjoyable and infrequent dinner with just the two of us.  With topics bouncing all over the spectrum and conversation flowing for over an hour, this BBQ dinner proved to become an evening that this mom will long remember.

For more BBQ Food Photography, join my for a trip around our Inspired Plate Blog Circle.  Next up?  A fabulous photographer I had the pleasure of joining on a photo shoot a few weeks ago,

 Laurie Vengoechea | Southern California Food Photographer

Chunky Peach BBQ Sauce

Early this spring I received reports of Dad's much loved peach tree teeming with blossoms.  Weeks later had little baby fruits growing, and today we have ripe, rosy peaches!!!  Moving into his home a few years ago he was thrilled when the neighbors gushed about the abundance of peaches his tree provided to the neighborhood, and they were so right.  Today, not only does Dad provide peaches to his neighbors, but me and mine as well.

Knowing that the tree was doing its job, I did my own job in preparation of the harvest and gleaned every recipe I could during my blog travels.  While the last few days have had us enjoying the rosy fruits my favorite way, simply sliced and eaten out of hand, today some of the little gems were in danger of becoming overripe and the request from my son for another Pork Tenderloin sent me to one of my favorite recipes - Peach BBQ Sauce.

Sweet yet tart with just a hint of spice (unless you want more) Peach BBQ Sauce works wonderfully with the pork.  Originally from Epicurious, I've adapted the versatile recipe to suit our tastes;  on occasion we have a vegetarian version while others call for the flavors of the full bacon enhanced version.  My personal preference for a chunky sauce has me omitting the straining direction, but I can imagine that the strained sauce would be stunning!  Either way the sauce is a true treat and has summer flying full speed ahead.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Chunky Peach BBQ Sauce

Savory Peach Chicken

Rosy peaches have been widely available at our local markets for the last few weeks and I can't help myself but to buy arm loads of these beautiful, blushed fruits.  When I arrive home I frequently look at my overflowing bag and think, "Now just what am I going to do with a dozen peaches that will all ripen on the same day?"  In addition to our luscious weekend treat, Peach Crepes, Ellie Krieger's Savory Peach Chicken was a perfect solution to our peach buying spree!

Four perfectly ripe peaches were chopped into large pieces and sautéed with a savory mix of soy sauce, garlic, and orange juice for a perfect sweet/savory dish that was a family pleaser served over rice.  A nice side salad along with a beautiful bowl of fresh berries (I was lucky to find organic black berries and golden raspberries!) completed our healthy weeknight dinner without much fuss and a request to "please make this again soon" was music to my ears!

Savory Peach Chicken

adapted from Ellie Krieger

3 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks or slices

1/2 small onion, cut into wedges

2 Tbs brown sugar

2 Tbs low sodium soy sauce

2 Tbs rice vinegar

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp powdered ginger (may use 1 tsp fresh minced or grated ginger)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth

3 large firm-ripe peaches, chopped in large chunks

Scallion slices for topping

Spray large skillet with cooking spray and add onion wedges, cooking over medium heat for about 4 minutes, just until they begin to get tender.  While the onions are cooking, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar and orange juice in a small bowl, whisk and set aside.  

Add ginger and garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the chicken broth, soy sauce mixture and peaches to the skillet and simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the peaches begin to soften.  Add the cooked, sliced or chunked chicken to the pan and cook until heated through.  Serve over white or brown rice and top with a sprinkle of sliced scallions.

Peach Crepes

Weekend mornings are so much more appreciated now that school is back in session.  Somehow waking up after the sun has broken the horizon feels much more agreeable than waking in complete darkness.  With less of an agenda on these leisurely weekend mornings, extra attention is given to our first meal of the day, and making breakfast together becomes a special time.  

Since discovering how easy it is to make strawberry crepes, these little fruit wraps have been oft requested by Liv.  Today's request though, found us without strawberries!  What to do?  A perusal of the fruit basket showed watermelon or 4 perfectly ripe peaches and one beautiful white nectarine.  Not much of a choice!  Out came the cutting board and we soon had a bowl of perfectly sliced, fragrant, juicy peaches.  

Hoping for a peach pie-like flavor and texture, we warmed a little butter in a pan, added brown sugar, cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg.  Once the sugar had begun to melt we added the peaches and simmered until they were somewhat soft, but not mushy - about 6 minutes.  Off of the heat we drizzled in a bit of our favorite Tahitian vanilla and were set to fill our lightly browned crepes.

Fragrant cinnamon and peaches filled the house with a tantalizing aroma... beautiful enough to drag a sleepy 14 year old boy from the depths of sleep wondering what was for breakfast, a definite sign that we had done well!

 

This recipe takes a good amount of ripe peaches and would be a perfect complement to a nice vanilla ice cream if you have leftovers... which I'm thinking you won't!