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The Perfect Whisky Marinades for Your Grilled Foods

The Perfect Whisky Marinades for Your Grilled Foods

Whisky and grilling go hand in hand. Whether you’re grilling steak, chicken, pork, seafood, veggies, or game, a whisky marinade ramps up the flavor, locks in juiciness, and can also tenderize lean cuts.

No matter how you like your marinade—sweet, tangy, or umami-rich—you can be sure that the flavor will be exceptional. Experimentation is highly recommended!

How Whisky Compares to Traditional Marinades

Why is whisky a great marinade ingredient?

Flavor-wise, whisky is the perfect match for grilled foods due to its smoky, savory, spicy notes, but let’s first talk about the science. Why is whisky such a great meat tenderizer?

Alcohol breaks down collagen, one of the main proteins found in meat. The more collagen, the tougher it will be.

Plus, alcohol binds to fat, which means that fattier cuts will absorb more flavor from the marinade.

While it’s true that just about any alcohol can help you accomplish the same tenderization and flavor enhancement, whisky is typically higher in alcohol content and acids. Because of this, it tends to accomplish the task much more efficiently. You might even replace the other acidic ingredients, like vinegar and lemon juice, with whisky.

Beer and wine have a lower ABV and add a significantly different flavor profile, although we like the idea of combining dark beers, like stout or porter, with whisky in the marinade to add a malty, toasty punch.

Whisky-Infused Grilling with Pendleton® Whisky: Marinade Tips

First, we should mention the difference between marinades and sauces. Marinades are used to flavor and tenderize meats before cooking, while sauces are added after the meat is cooked.

Marinades have three primary components: acid, fat, and seasoning.

We can consider whisky an acid, but a non-whisky marinade might use citrus, vinegar, or wine in its place. For the fat component, use EVOO or toasted sesame oil if you want flavor, canola or grapeseed if you prefer something more neutral.

Season with spices, herbs, or flavorings to your preference. 

Marinade Tips

  • We suggest ½ cup of marinade per pound of meat.

  • The marinade should be at least half oil. Oil will help the whisky and seasonings adhere to the meat for maximum flavor.

  • The acid component (whisky, in this case) should not exceed the quantity of oil. A half cup or less per pound is plenty.

  • Flavorings can include fresh or dried herbs, grated garlic, ketchup, hot sauce, Worcestershire, miso, mustard, chili paste, grated fresh ginger, or whatever you like.

  • Add a sweet and salty element. Salt tenderizes and can come from soy sauce or fish sauce. Be sure not to over-salt if using one of these salty sauces. Whisk in some brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey for the sweet—but not too much. Excess sugar will make the meat burn on the grill. Taste as you go and aim for balance!

  • Professional chefs recommend not over-marinating your meat. Letting the meat rest in an acidic environment for too long will start to “cook” it (think ceviche). So resist the urge to marinate overnight.

  • Similarly, removing the meat too soon from the marinade won’t allow it to soak up the flavors efficiently. A good general guideline is to marinate for at least one hour but no more than four.

Best Whisky Cocktail to Sip While Marinating

Now that the meat is in the marinade, you have time to kill. How about a cocktail?

Our friends at Nexgrill whipped up a concoction that we think you’ll love: the Pendleton® Whisky Smoked Peach Cocktail featuring fresh peaches, lemon juice, simple syrup, and fresh mint. We suggest using Pendleton® Whisky Original to lend a spicy note to the sweet juiciness of those smoked peaches.

Perfect Whisky Pairing for Grilled Food

Over here, we’re getting ready to grill up some Snake River Farms American Wagyu beef. There is truly nothing better with a juicy, fresh-off-the-grill, melt-in-your-mouth steak than a glass of Pendleton® Whisky, and for this flavor extravaganza, we’re leaning toward Pendleton® 1910 Bourbon. After all, a luxury steak should only be paired with the very best!

If you are looking for a barbeque sauce recipe featuring Pendleton® Whisky check out this article from Nexgrill, they know only too well the intrinsic connection between whisky and grilling! When you are ready to take your next grill sesh to the next level, check out our expert tips for grilling with whisky.

Don’t forget to restock your bar so you’re always ready to bring bold whisky-inspired flavors to your backyard cookouts with Pendleton® Whisky. Whether you’re mixing up cocktails, crafting whisky-infused marinades, or simply enjoying a glass by the grill, having a bottle on hand ensures every gathering is one to remember!

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