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Derby Party Menu Ideas and Cocktails

Kentucky Derby Entertaining Recipes for Kentucky Derby

Appetizers

Bourbon Smoked Beer Cheese

Ingredients:

Method:

In a bowl mix together the first five ingredients with a hand mixer on low speed until blended. Gradually add in beer slowly until blended. Once all the beer is added mix on high for 1 minute or until creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve on toast, crackers or with pretzels.

OR Order Bourbon Smoked Beer Cheese, Ready to eat!

Watch us make Beer Cheese!

Bourbon Barrel Aged Sorghum and Bourbon Smoked Pepper Goat Cheese

Ingredients: 

 

Method:

Sprinkle the Bourbon Smoked Pepper on the goat cheese. Drizzle the Pure Cane Sorghum on top and serve with crackers! Fast, easy and delicious appetizer to make.

Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt Benedictine

Ingredients:

  • 2 cucumbers (about 1 pound), peeled and deseeded
  • 2 (8oz.) packages of cream cheese
  • ½ clove garlic, minced or grated
  • ¾ tsp Bourbon Smoked Salt (more or less to taste)
  • 1-2 drops green food coloring (optional)

Method:

Make the Benedictine. Grate cucumbers with a box grater or with the grating disk on a food processor. Place grated cucumber into a sieve in a bowl. Push down on the cucumber with a large spoon to release as much water as possible.

Put grated cucumber into a large bowl or a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Add the cream cheese, garlic, salt and one drop of food coloring, if using, and mix until well combined.

OR Order Bourbon Smoked Benedictine, Ready to eat!

Bourbon Barrel Foods Famous Pimento Cheese

Ingredients:

Method:

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well to combine. Serve with crackers, bread or pretzels. Pimento cheese keeps for one week in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

OR Order Bourbon Smoked Pimento Cheese, Ready to eat!

Watch us make it!

HENRY BAIN’S STEAK CROSTINI WITH HORSERADISH CREAM

Makes 18 crostini

Ingredients:

For the Horseradish Cream Sauce:
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup horseradish, grated
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp Bourbon Smoked Salt
¼ tsp Bourbon Smoked Pepper

For the Crostini:
18 French baguette slices, ½” thick cut on a bias
olive oil for drizzling
¾ pounds sirloin steak
¼ tsp Bourbon Smoked Salt
1/8 tsp Bourbon Smoked Pepper
3 Tbsp Henry Bain’s Sauce
1 scallion, green part only, thinly sliced

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet.
Drizzle each slice with some olive oil. Bake for 5 minutes to lightly toast. Set aside
and allow to cool. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the horseradish
cream. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Heat oven-proof skillet over med-high heat. Season steak with smoked salt and
pepper. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and sear the steak for 3 minutes on each
side. Roast in the oven for 5 minutes for med-rare. Remove and rest the steak for 5 minutes.

Place a dollop of horseradish cream sauce on each crostini. Slice the steak thinly
and toss the steak in a bowl with the Henry Bain’s sauce. Lay a few slices of steak on
each crostini. Garnish with sliced scallions and serve on a platter.

Serves 4-6

CHICKEN LIVER AND SPICED PECAN CROSTINI

Ingredients:

2 ounces Kentucky Bourbon

2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 pound chicken livers, rinsed, trimmed, and patted dry
½ teaspoon Bourbon Smoked Salt, plus extra for sprinkling
¼ teaspoon Bourbon Smoked Pepper, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 bay leaf
½ small yellow onion, thinly sliced1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons butter
14-16 grilled or toasted baguette slices
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
¼ cup Bourbon Spiced Pecans, coarsely chopped
½ lemon, for squeezing
Bourbon Barrel Aged Sorghum, for drizzling

Method:

In a small bowl, put the raisins to soak in the bourbon. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the livers with Smoked Salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to the hot pan and arrange the livers in an even layer, along with the bay leaf, sliced onion, and garlic. Leave the livers to be brown on one side, undisturbed, for 1-2 minutes. Flip the livers and stir the onions. Reduce heat to medium. Add the bourbon and raisins to deglaze the pan, cooking for about 1 minute. Stir in the butter and cook for 1 minute more until livers are cooked but still a little pink in the center.

Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Either place livers on a large chopping board and coarsely chop with a large knife, or place mixture in a food processor and pulse several times until roughly chopped.

Spread liver onto grilled or toasted bread. Garnish with chopped parsley, spiced pecans, a little squeeze of lemon juice, and a drizzle of sorghum. Season each crostini with a pinch of smoked salt and pepper, if desired.

 

Henry Bain’s Meatballs

Makes about 40 meatballs

Ingredients: 

Method:

1. In a small bowl, combine bread and milk.  In a large bowl, combine pork, beef, onion, parsley, worcestershire, garlic salt, and citrus pepper. Mash bread and milk to form a wet paste and add to meat mixture. Add egg and gently mix to combine. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mix and form mixture into meatballs. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add half the meatballs and cook until brown on all sides. Transfer to a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining oil and meatballs. Bake meatballs for 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

3. Set broiler on high. Brush meatballs with the Henry Bain’s sauce. Broil for 3 minutes until burnished and glossy. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with extra Henry Bain’s sauce on the side.

BOURBON SMOKED PAPRIKA SHRIMP

Serves 8 as an appetizer or Entrée

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp in an even layer and cook for 2 minutes, lowering heat to medium high. Flip the shrimp and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, and smoked salt and pepper. Cook for one minute more, tossing shrimp.

2. Remove from heat and squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir in the lemon zest and fresh parsley. Serve immediately, with crusty bread, if desired.

 

Cocktails

WOODFORD RESERVE® CLASSIC MINT JULEP

Ingredients:

3 ounces Woodford Reserve® Bourbon
1 ounce Woodford Reserve® Mint Julep Simple Syrup
3 fresh mint leaves and mint sprig, for garnish
Crushed ice

Method:

Add bourbon, mint julep syrup and three mint leaves to a chilled mint julep cup or tall glass. Gently bruise the mint leaves with the back of a spoon and stir. Fill the cup with plenty of crushed ice and garnish with fresh mint sprig and a straw!

The Official Cocktail of Thurby! Old Forester – Perfect Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

Method:

Combine ingredients in mixing glass. Stir with ice. Strain over large ice cube in double old fashioned glass. Garnish with lemon and orange peel.

WHITE WINE SANGRIA WITH MINT, LEMON, AND LIME

Ingredients:

Method:

  • In a small pitcher, combine all the ingredients except the mint leaves.
  • Stir.
  • Refrigerate sangria for at least an hour.
  • Place mint leaves in four glasses, with ice, if desired.
  • Pour sangria into glasses and enjoy.

Louisville Nag

Ingredients:

2 oz Woodford Reserve® Bourbon
1/2 lime
1/2 can Ginger Beer
Bourbon Smoked Sugar

Method:

Measure bourbon and pour into copper mug or rocks glass.
Squeeze lime and drop into mug.
Pack mug with crushed ice.
Pour ginger beer to top of mug.
Garnish with Bourbon Smoked Sugar.

 

Bourbon Barrel Aged Bloody Mary

Instructions:

  • 4 oz. Barrel Aged & Bourbon Smoked Bloody Mary Cocktail Mix
  • 1.5 oz. of vodka or bourbon

Method:

  • stir and pour over ice
  • garnish optional

Jack Daniels® Gentleman Jack Whiskey Sour

Instructions:

Method:

  • Combine ingredients in shaker. Shake Well. Add Ice. Continue to shake. Strain into chilled glass. Garnish with lemon.
  • For a Whiskey Sour without Egg White, combine the first two ingredients. Continue to shake. Strain into chilled glass. Garnish with lemon.

 

STRAWBERRY MINT CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

Makes 4 cocktails

Instructions:

Method:

Place strawberries and mint julep syrup in a blender. Blend until completely pureed. Fill champagne flutes about one-third full of puree. Slowly top with champagne. Lightly stir and garnish with a strawberry and mint sprig.

Bourbon Barrel Michelada

The Glass:

The Drink:

Method:

The Glass:

  • Mix the Bourbon Smoked Chili and Coffee Rub in a saucer and spread wider than the rim of the glass.
  • Use a lime wedge and rub around the rim of each glass.
  • Hold the glass from the bottom and move straight down and place into the seasoning mix. Lift and set aside.

The Drink:

  • Pour all of the drink ingredients into a large pitcher and mix. 
  • Fill up the glass with ice.
  • Pour the mixed drink over the ice.
  • Serve with lime wedges for garnish.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Cold Brew

Made with Bourbon Smoked Cacao Nibs and 100% Arabica Beans that have been aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Makes 1 gallon:

Ingredients:

8 oz of Auto-Drip Ground Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Beans
2 oz Bourbon Smoked Cacao Nibs
4 Quarts Water (1 gallon)

Method:

• Mix the ground Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee and Bourbon Smoked Cacao Nibs together.
• In a glass pitcher or air-tight container, place the Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee and Bourbon Smoked Cacao Nibs mixture in a tied coffee filter and add water to the container.
*Cold Brew can be brewed loose in the water – Double-strain with a mesh strainer before serving.
• Steep coffee in a refrigerator or room temperature for 18 hours.
• Pour over ice with your favorite coffee accompaniments – try it with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Cocktail Bitters to add a little spice, or Bourbon Smoked Sugar for a smoky sweetness.

Desserts

OLD FASHIONED SORGHUM, CHOCOLATE & PECAN PIE

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1 ½ bread flour (cold)
¼ teaspoon salt
13 Tablespoons unsalted butter (diced and frozen)
6 Tablespoons ice water

 

For the Sorghum, Chocolate, Pecan Pie Filling:
¾ cup of Bourbon Barrel Aged Sorghum
¾ cup of packed light brown sugar
½ cup dark corn syrup
¼ cup unsalted butter
3 large eggs
2 cups chopped pecans
¾ cups milk chocolate chips
2 teaspoons Bourbon Barrel Aged Madagascar Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoons Kentucky Bourbon
½ teaspoons salt

Method
For the crust:
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, salt, and butter.
• Place bowl, including the paddle, in the freezer; you will need to keep everything as cold as possible.
• Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until you get coarse crumbs.
• Add just enough water until the dough comes together, roughly 1-minute. *Mix the dough a little longer if you want to achieve an extra smooth dough.
• Remove dough from mixer and shape into a dish that is 1 inch thick.
• Wrap dough in plastic for at least 4 hours to reduce shrinking.
*Overnight is best.
• On flowered surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round approximately 1/8-inch thick.
• Fold and line dough into 9-inch pie pan.
• Roll edges under and crimp as desired.
• Refrigerate for one hour.

For the Sorghum, Chocolate, Pecan Pie Filling:
• Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
• In a medium saucepan, combine Bourbon Barrel Aged Sorghum, brown sugar, dark corn syrup, and butter over medium heat.
• Cook until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, about 4-minutes. Increase the heat to high and let the mixture boil for 1-minute.
• Remove from heat and cool mixture to room temperature​.
• Stir in eggs until blended.
• After eggs are blended, stir in bourbon, Bourbon Barrel Aged Madagascar Vanilla, salt, milk chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
• Pour filling into prepared pie shell.
• Bake for 45 min – 1 hour, or until filling is set.
• Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Serve with Bourbon Whipped if desired.

Mint Julep & Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

Ingredients:

Makes about 1 dozen cookies

  • 1 cup, scant (120g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp Bourbon Barrel Smoked Salt, plus extra for sprinking
  • 14 ounces (395g) 60-70% dark chocolate, chopped
  • 3 TB (50g) unsalted butter, chopped
  • 1 tsp Bourbon Barrel Aged Vanilla Extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1¼ cups (270g) Mint Julep Sugar

 

Method:

1 Combine dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside. In a heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Place over a pot of gently simmering water or microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted.

2 In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs and the mint sugar and whisk on medium speed for 5-6 minutes until it’s pale and tripled in size. Scrape the chocolate into the bowl and whisk on a low speed to combine. Add the dry ingredients and whisk slowly to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and stir by hand a few turns.

3 Refrigerate batter for one hour to firm up. Preheat oven to 355 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Using a large ice cream scoop (1/3 cup capacity), scoop cookies onto baking sheets, about 3” apart. Flatten each cookie slightly with the palm of your hand. Sprinkle with smoked salt. Bake for 12-13 minutes until puffed and dry looking around the edges but still slightly soft in the middle. Cool completely on cookie sheet before serving.

LEMON LAVENDER SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Makes 18-20 cookies
Ingredients:
10 Tbsp (150 grams) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (90 grams) white sugar
1 ½ cups + 2 Tbsp (225 grams) all-purpose flour
½ tsp Bourbon Smoked Salt, plus extra for garnish
1 egg yolk
1 tsp Bourbon Barrel Aged Madagascar Vanilla Extract zest of
1 large lemon
1 tsp dried lavender flowers
Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix. Add the flour, smoked salt, lemon zest, and stir to combine.
Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it into a smooth ball. Roll the ball into a log about 3-4” in diameter.
Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 15 minutes. (Dough may be made up to two days in advance and kept in the refrigerator.)   Remove and slice the log into eighteen ½ “ thick cookies.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet 1” apart. Press a few lavender flowers and a light sprinkle of smoked salt onto the tops of each cookie. Bake for 12-14 minutes until cookies are firm but not brown. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Boozy, Salted-Caramel, Candied Pecans

Ingredients:
1 package Bourbon Smoked Spiced Pecans
1 cup Old Forester® 100 Proof Signature Bourbon
1/4 cup Caramel Sauce with Sea Salt and Bourbon
1/2 cup Bourbon Smoked Sugar

Method:
Pecan Soaked Bourbon:

• In an airtight container, combine 1-package of Bourbon Smoked Spiced Pecans and 1-cup of Old Forester® 100 Proof Signature Bourbon.
• Allow to sit for 10-hours at room temperature.
• Strain the mixture one time with a mesh strainer and again through a coffee filter.
• Store in a bottle with a lid for two weeks.
*Save Pecan Soaked Bourbon to make the Fall Old Fashioned.

Pecans:
• Preheat oven to 375-degrees F.
• Place the soaked pecans on a medium, parchment-lined sheet tray.
• Drizzle Caramel Sauce and sprinkle sugar over pecans.
• Toss until coated and spread pecans out to a single layer.
• Bake for 12-15-minuets or until coating starts to bubble.
• Remove, allow to cook, and break apart.
• Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Bourbon Barrel Sorghum Cookies

Ingredients: (make approximately 45 cookies)

3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup Bourbon Barrel Aged Sorghum
2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon Bourbon Smoked Pepper
½ teaspoon Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
Bourbon Smoked Sugar, for dipping

Method:

• In a medium bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar.
• Add egg and Bourbon Barrel Aged Pure Cane Sorghum and mix.
• In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
• Add the dry mix to the butter mixture.
• Mix until smooth.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill dough for 1 hour or overnight.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Pour some Bourbon Smoked Sugar into a small bowl or plate.
• Roll one tablespoon of dough into a ball and roll in Bourbon Smoked Sugar. Place two inches apart on a baking sheet.
• Bake 9-11 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.
• Store cookies in an airtight container.

Sesame Wafers

Ingredients: (makes 30-35 wafers)

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon Bourbon Smoked Salt
1 teaspoon Bourbon Barrel Aged Madagascar Vanilla
½ cup Bourbon Smoked Sesame Seeds
cooking spray
ice water

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and light brown sugar. Add the egg, all-purpose flour, smoked salt and vanilla, beating to combine.
• Add the smoked sesame seeds and stir to combine.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly coat with baking spray.
• Drop a scant teaspoon amount of batter onto baking sheets, 2 ½”-3” apart.
• Slightly flatten each cookie with a knife dipped in ice water.
• Bake for about 6 minutes (middle rack is best) until lightly golden brown.
• Allow to cool completely on baking sheets.
• Remove with a thin spatula or offset palette knife.
• Store in an airtight container.