On Tuesday I put some skirt steak out to thaw, but it was too cold in the house and it didn't thaw in sufficient time for me to marinate it. So I threw it in a ziploc with a mixture I use often as an overnight 'cure': curry powder, salt and sugar. Only this time I used a roasted garam masala a friend sent me from Malaysia, and something about it's smokey note made me think "Bourbon!". So I added about two tablespoons. The intent was to BBQ on Wednesday.
But on Wednesday I forgot about the skirt steak and bought some chicken breasts to pound into paillards. So the skirt steak brewed yet another day and we grilled them last night. We LOVED the flavor. The bourbon really came through loud and clear to me, since I knew the flavor of the garam masala alone, but the combination was so harmonious that someone unfamiliar with either would not have detected the alcohol ingredient. It just tasted exotic, though the flavors were overall too heavy due to 36 extra hours of marinating time. Eight would have been ideal.
Next up: the pork chops in bourbon/mustard sauce recipe I stole from the dentist's office.