Roast Beef in Bourbon Sauce
Submitted by katielynn
Spit-roasted beef rib roast marinated in bourbon, dry mustard, and vinegar, then grilled over hot coals and basted with the heated marinade sauce.
Bourbon and beef is a Southern pairing that just makes sense. The whiskey’s caramel sweetness cuts through the richness of a rib roast, while dry mustard and vinegar add a sharp, tangy backbone to the marinade.
This recipe calls for spit-roasting over hot coals, which gives you that slow, even rotation and a gorgeous crust on all sides. If you don’t have a rotisserie setup, the recipe also works on a standard grill with indirect heat and a drip pan. Either way, the last 30 minutes of basting with the heated bourbon sauce builds a sticky, caramelized glaze.
Let the roast rest a full 20 to 30 minutes after pulling it off the heat. A big cut like this needs that time for the juices to redistribute. Cut too soon and you’ll lose all that flavor onto the cutting board.
Kitchen Tips
- Balance the roast carefully on the spit. An off-center roast wobbles, cooks unevenly, and can strain your rotisserie motor.
- Use a meat thermometer. For rare, pull at 120°F (49°C); for medium, 140°F (60°C); for well-done, 165°F (74°C). The roast will rise another 5-10 degrees while resting.
- Heat the reserved marinade to a full boil before basting or serving. It contacted raw beef, so it needs to be properly cooked.
- Save the leftovers. Cold bourbon-marinated roast beef makes outstanding sandwiches the next day.
Variations
- Replace bourbon with rye whiskey for a spicier, more peppery flavor profile.
- Add a few tablespoons of brown sugar to the marinade for a sweeter, more pronounced glaze.
- Rub the roast with smoked paprika before marinating for an extra layer of smokiness beyond what the coals provide.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine the oil, bourbon, onion, garlic, pepper, mustard, salt and vinegar, blending well.
Place the meat in a plastic bag or glass dish.
Pour the marinade over the meat and marinate 1 hour at room temperature, turning the meat 2 to 3 times.
Drain the meat, reserving the marinade.
Spit the meat from end to end through the center or on a diagonal, making sure that the roast is balanced.
If the meat has not been tied already, tie it after you have fastened it in place with the spit forks--it will be a little firmer that way.
Engage the spit and turn the meat, 8 to 10 inches above hot coals, for 1½ hours or until a meat thermometer registers 120 degrees F.
for rare, to 1½ hours for well-done, 165 Degrees F on the meat thermometer.
Brush with the sauce for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
To roast on the grill, place the meat over a drip pan with the hot coals surrounding the drip pan, or pushed back.
Turn and baste the meat as needed to cook evenly.
Grill 1½ to 1½ hours.
Let the meat stand, on a platter, 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
Heat the sauce and serve with the meat.
NOTE: Any leftovers make great sandwiches and beef salads.
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