When the opportunity arose to interview Jimmy Bedford, master distiller at the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, I jumped at the chance despite the fact that making whiskey is seemingly unrelated to fiery-foods and barbecue. Not to worry, though, because I soon discovered that the Jack Daniel operation is home to an invitational barbecue cook-off, and Jimmy is one of their judges. When I met Jimmy in Peppers Restaurant at the Marriott Courtyard, there were bottles of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey on the table, so I knew a good time was ahead of me.

DD: Tell me, Jimmy, why has the population of Lynchburg remained at 361 forever?

JB: (Chuckles) Actually, that’s part of a trademark. We like to emphasize the fact that Jack Daniel’s whiskey is made in the country. Lynchburg is in Moore County, which has the smallest population of any county in Tennessee, but I think there are more people in the town these days.

DD: Is Jack Daniel’s whiskey a bourbon?

JB: It meets all the criteria for a bourbon, made with 80 percent corn, 125 proof or less, and aged in oak barrels, but we like to say that it’s more than bourbon.

DD: Is that because of the charcoal mellowing?

JB: Yes, all of our whiskey passes through ten feet of crushed sugar maple charcoal that cleans up any harshness. Instead of a bourbon, we call it Tennessee Sippin’ Whiskey.

DD: Is distilling an art or a science?

JB: Both. These days, science plays a large role in distilling.

DD: How did you become the master distiller?

JB: I grew up near Lynchburg and worked at the distillery part-time. I worked under master distiller Frank Bobo and learned everything I could. When he retired in 1992, I got the job.

DD: What can go wrong during the distillation process?

JB: Good question. Contamination can occur, so we steam clean everything regularly. During the fermentation process, we have to make sure the temperature doesn’t rise beyond 90 degrees or the yeast will die. Also, the starch in corn turns to sugar, the sugar becomes alcohol, and a byproduct is carbon dioxide. That must be vented or our workers could suffocate.

DD: What is the process for tasting the whiskey?

JB: We are always comparing the latest batch to a recent standard. This means that we constantly build a new standard because we can’t compare new whiskey to that made five years ago. We sample the aroma first, then taste by swirling the whiskey around in the mouth. There are three panels of tasters, all employees of Jack Daniel’s. The first panel tastes immediately after distilling, the second after charcoal mellowing, and the third after aging in oak barrels so that we can select our single barrel whiskey, our top grade.

DD: What about cooking with Jack Daniel’s whiskey?

JB: It is excellent with apples and desserts. Any recipe that calls for vanilla, substitute Jack Daniel’s. I like to simmer a ham for 24 hours, remove it from the pot, skin it, bone it, stud it with cloves, and cover it with a glaze of brown sugar and Jack Daniel’s. I bake it in the oven at 250 degrees until the glaze melts, then serve it. Delicious. It can also be used to marinate steaks and burgers, and I like it in pies.

DD: How do you drink Jack? Are you a purist?

JB: Yes, I like it on the rocks with a splash of water.

DD: Do most consumers drink it that way?

JB: No. About 60 percent of Jack Daniel’s is mixed with cola.

DD: What about the Country Cocktails and Hard Cola?

JB: The Country Cocktails appeal to young people who like sweet stuff. The Hard Cola is a malt beverage produced by Miller under a licensing agreement. It has a very small amount of whiskey in it.

DD: What is your role in the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue?

JB: I’ve been a judge for the last three years. It’s a lot of fun, with 20,000 people showing up to cook and taste ‘cue.

DD: Can the cookers and attendees drink Jack Daniel’s at the cook-off?

JB: Not in public! Moore Country is dry.

DD: Then where do you buy your Jack Daniel’s?

JB: I like to say that I’m just nine miles and 11 steps from the nearest liquor store.

During the tasting session that followed the interview, I was treated to Gentleman Jack, which is 80 proof, aged 53 months, and then mellowed through charcoal a second time. It was very smooth. Next was Black Label, 86 proof and their best seller. It was even better. And then I got to try Single Barrel, 94 proof and aged longer than the other two. This was my favorite by far, comparable to a high-quality single malt scotch. This whiskey comes from single barrels not mixed with other barrels. They get about 240 bottles per barrel. In Albuquerque it retails for $36.99 for 750 milliliters.

I also learned some interesting facts during the tasting. Jack Daniel’s is the largest-selling American whiskey, with about 7.4 million cases sold each year. They have never changed its quality, saying that it is "classic Americana." And what about all the wood they use in making the charcoal and oak barrels? Well, the sugar maple grows within 60 miles of the distillery, and re-seeding assures a good supply of the trees. The white oak comes from Tennessee and Kentucky, where the University of Kentucky makes sure it is re-seeded. Since the barrels are only used once, after the whiskey is poured out, the company sells them as planters and decorative items, some are sold to the scotch whiskey market, and some are burned to make steam for the distillery.

Before I left Jimmy, he gave me a signed bottle of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, which I won’t open until a special occasion. Like happy hour tomorrow.

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Recipes

Jack Daniel's Stillhouse Barbecue Sauce

Slather this sauce on during the last five minutes of cooking--just long enough for the sugar to caramelize and brown.

• 1 cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey

• 1 cup ketchup

• 1 cup cider vinegar

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire® sauce

• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer about 30 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Yield: About 2 1/2 cups

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Pan-Fried Porterhouse Steaks with Lynchburg Pan Sauce

If the weather is lousy outside, then pan-frying a thick porterhouse steak right in the kitchen is a great way to go. The key to success is a big cast-iron skillet. It'll cause a good bit of smoke in the kitchen, but it's worth it. Let the cooked steaks rest on a board while you make the special Lynchburg pan sauce.

• 2 porterhouse steaks (1 to 1 1/4 pounds each), cut 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1/4 cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey

Dry the steaks and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for ten minutes. Coat with oil. Place steaks in pan; cook, until seared and brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook 5 minutes on the other side for medium-rare; 6 minutes for medium. Remove from skillet. Melt butter in skillet; stir in Worcestershire sauce and whiskey. Bring to a boil; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Slice steaks, if desired. Pour sauce over steaks and serve. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

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Tabasco® Jack Wings

Note: To bake the wings, place in a roasting pan. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in a 450 degrees F oven until lightly browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Chicken:

• 3/4 cup flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 pounds chicken drummettes

• Vegetable oil

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

• 1/2 cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey

• 1/4 cup ketchup

• 1/3 cup Tabasco® pepper sauce, or to taste

Combine the flour, salt and pepper in small bowl. Coat the chicken pieces with flour mixture. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a fryer or heavy pot to 375 degrees F. Fry the wings, a few at a time, until golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Dip the cooked wings in sauce. Serve with blue cheese dressing, celery and carrot sticks.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Heat Scale: Medium

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Jack Daniel's Bread Pudding

Here’s a perfect holiday dessert. Serve with coffee laced with Jack Daniel’s or hot chocolate.

• 1 cup raisins

• 1/3 cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey

• 1 tablespoon orange zest

• 7 cups cubed white bread, lightly toasted

• 4 eggs

• 1 cup sugar

• 3 cups milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Nutmeg

• 1/4 cup butter

Combine the raisins, orange zest and Jack Daniel's in a small bowl and soak about 20 minutes. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Place the bread cubes in the prepared dish. Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir in the milk and vanilla to make a custard. Fold the raisin mixture into bread cubes. Pour the custard over it all and let stand for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with nutmeg and dot with butter. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place in the center of the over and bake the pudding for about 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or cool, drizzled with heavy cream if desired.

Yield: 8 servings.

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