Giving Bourbon A Second "Shot"

A second round of bourbon wasn't in the original plans.  After work, I consulted The Guide looking for ideas.  As I came across the Lamb section, I noticed that I had not been paying due diligence to these pages.  Taking this into consideration, I drove down to Findlay Market to acquire what I needed.  When I arrived there, I learned that they were out of ground lamb, my primary ingredient.  They did, however, have pork shoulder blade steaks, something usually reserved for the weekend.  I had been craving this cut of meat recently, so I took advantage of this opportunity.  This would require, oddly enough, for me to use the last recipe available for this cut, the Double-Shot Blade Steaks on page 177. 

The "shot" reference in the title concerns a bourbon-based marinade followed by the application of a rub before grilling.  I wasn't terribly excited about the prospect of repeating the oaky adventure from yesterday, but I forged ahead to see what this recipe had to offer.  I did select a different bourbon, opting for Woodford this time around.  I made the marinade, and placed everything into a Ziploc bag for two hours.

While this was in the fridge I started the prep work on my sides, as well as making the rub which would be applied just before grilling.

Here we are, just before heading out to Old Faithful.  I selected the propane grill this time because I only needed about seven or minutes of grill time, which didn't justify firing up The Forge.

They looked nice!

I plated the steaks and my sides (sauteed zucchini and roasted potatoes).  The Bride was off at dinner with friends, so I dined alone.

 This second "shot" at bourbon treated me rather well.  Unlike yesterday's episode, this recipe allowed me to taste bourbon beyond the oak.  I picked up on the caramel, butterscotch, and coffee tones, even behind the frontal notes of the rub, which was quite diverse and interesting, not to mention spicy.  If you have never tried a pork blade steak, I highly encourage you to do so.  As they are cut from the pork shoulder, a rather inexpensive cut of meat, they are a terrifically flavored and economic way to dine.  They absorb marinades quite well, and remain juicy even when cut thin.  Give them a "shot!"