I recently had the pleasure of meeting Fred Noe, the seventh-generation master distiller who literally grew up at the Jim Beam distillery in the middle of Kentucky. We met over a tasting of country ham and bourbon during which I discovered some new hams and whiskeys to add to my growing list of favorite things to eat and drink. Not surprisingly, I also found out that he and I share a love of grilling.
Many bourbon lovers know Booker’s, but what they might not know is that the bourbon is named after its creator, Booker Noe, Jim Beam’s sixth-generation distiller and Fred Noe’s father.
According to his son, Booker’s bourbon was quite literally “his baby,” and he made everyone promise not to mess with it once he retired. It is uncut and unfiltered, and a high 127.9 proof, which means you might want to drink it with a splash of water or an ice cube to enjoy all the nuances of the flavors.
It also means that the high-proof, uncut spirit is ideal for flambe. Booker was famous for his “BourbonQ” take on barbecue. In fact, he still is; his son keeps the spirit alive by making it often. His signature dish has been made world over. It is a grilled and flambeed bone-in porterhouse (or T-bone) pork chop. With Fred Noe’s permission, I am calling it “Booker’s pork chop flambe.”