Entertaining With Southern Comfort!

Southern Comfort BottlesI’m super psyched to announce that from now until the end of June I’ll be working with Southern Comfort on a series of food and drink recipes.

Since I’m normally just a whiskey and Coke guy it’s been pretty fun so far getting out of my comfort zone and experimenting with some new drink ideas, and I’m pretty excited to see what I come up with over the next five months.

If you guys have any suggestions for any unique whiskey-based drinks that you love make sure you send them my way because I’d definitely love to try them!

Hot Whiskey Apple Cider

Hot Whiskey Apple Cider Made With Southern ComfortThis Hot Whiskey Apple Cider — made with Southern Comfort Black — can be served cold as well, but seeing as how we’re in the middle of winter and it’s currently 10 degrees and snowing here in Wisconsin as I write this I opted for the warmer version.

Even if you plan to drink this chilled you’re still going to want to boil the apple cider with the whole cloves, cinnamon sticks and star anise because that’s what really gives this drink its flavor. After you strain it though you can always chill it in your refrigerator until you’re ready to mix it with your Southern Comfort.

Hot Whiskey Apple Cider Recipe
 
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Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
  • 8 ounces Southern Comfort
  • 4 cups apple cider
  • 4 tablespoons orange juice
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 star anise

Instructions
  1. Combine apple cider, orange juice, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks and star anise in a small pot.
  2. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes and then strain.
  3. Add 2 ounces Southern Comfort to each glass and fill the remainder of the glass with warm apple cider.

 

The Spicy Southern Mule

The Spicy Southern MuleI’ve always been more of a whiskey fan than a vodka fan so any time I can take a drink that’s traditionally vodka-based and use whiskey instead I’m game.

One vodka drink I actually do enjoy however is the Moscow Mule, which is normally made with vodka, ginger beer and lime juice. Just because I like it though doesn’t mean I wouldn’t enjoy it even more with Southern Comfort Black….

With Southern Comfort being from New Orleans and a lot of the food from that area having a bit of a kick to it I figured that this drink could use some of that same kick as well, so I muddled a couple jalapeño slices in with the lime juice. Prior to making this drink I wasn’t sure how well jalapeños and whiskey would even go together but I’ve gotta say, they pair pretty well!

The Spicy Southern Mule Recipe
 
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Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients
  • 2 ounces Southern Comfort
  • 6 ounces ginger beer
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 1 jalapeño pepper

Instructions
  1. Thinly slice the jalapeño and muddle two or three slices with the lime juice in a copper mug.
  2. Fill the mug with ice, add Southern Comfort and top with ginger beer.
  3. Stir to mix and garnish with lime slices.

 

The Bacon-Infused Whiskey Old Fashioned

Bacon-Infused Old Fashioned1Even though they’re traditionally made with whiskey, brandy seems to be the liquor of choice here in Wisconsin when it comes to the Old Fashioned. Personally though, I’ve always preferred the whiskey version….

Do you know what makes an Old Fashioned even better? Using bacon-infused whiskey! Yep, by combining Southern Comfort and a little bit of bacon grease in a jar, letting it sit for a while and then filtering it through a cheesecloth or a coffee strainer your whiskey will attain that smoky bacon flavor that we all know and love.

If you don’t have any sugar cubes on hand you could also make a Maple Bacon Old Fashioned and give the drink its sweetness by using 1 tablespoon of maple syrup instead.

Or, if you really want to simplify things you can substitute 1/4 to 1/2 an ounce of cherry juice — depending on how sweet you want your drink — for the sugar cube, orange slice and cherry.

You could even just drink the bacon-infused Southern Comfort on its own over ice. Don’t worry, I won’t judge you…

The Bacon-Infused Whiskey Old Fashioned Recipe
 
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Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients
  • 2 ounces bacon-infused Southern Comfort (see instructions below)
  • 1 sugar cube
  • 1 cherry
  • 1 orange slice
  • 3 dashes bitters
  • 1 can sour soda such as Squirt or 50/50
  • Your choice of garnishes (I went with a few cherries and a slice of bacon)

Instructions
  1. Fry 1 pound of bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy.
  2. Set bacon strips aside to use as a garnish for your Old Fashioned. Combine bacon grease and 1 bottle (750ml) Southern Comfort in a jar and let sit at room temperature for at least 6 hours. Move the jar to your freezer for 8 hours or until the fat solidifies. Use a spoon to remove the fat, discard it and strain the Southern Comfort through cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a second jar.
  3. For each Bacon-Infused Old Fashioned combine 1 sugar cube, 1 cherry, 1 orange slice, 3 dashes of bitters and a dash of sour soda in a glass and muddle.
  4. Add ice, 2 ounces of bacon-infused Southern Comfort and top off with sour soda.
  5. Finish off with your choice of garnishes.

 

Cajun Rice and Shrimp in Cornbread Bowls

Cajun Rice and Shrimp in Cornbread Bowls

I mentioned a couple months back that through the month of June I’d be working with Southern Comfort on a series of food and drink recipes. Thus far it’s only been drinks, and although those have all been amazing, I’m especially excited to share this first food recipe.

With Southern Comfort originating in New Orleans I wanted to make a New Orleans-themed dish and there isn’t too much that screams New Orleans more than cajun shrimp and rice.

Shrimp and rice has been done a million times already though, so to make it a little more unique I decided to bake some cornbread bowls to eat it out of. Oh, and then I whipped up a Southern Comfort whiskey sauce to drizzle over them.

For the whiskey sauce I originally planned on going with more of a savory sauce – the type that would pair well with a steak – but opted for a sweeter sauce instead, similar to something you’d usually find served with bread pudding.

These are perfect as an appetizer or even as a meal if you just want to be able to get the perfect amount of cornbread, rice and shrimp in every single bite. I made twelve of them and within an hour I only had four left. They’re that good.

If you really want to simplify this recipe you could always buy a box of cornbread mix to make the cornbread bowls with and if you want to keep things super easy you could also swap out the garlic, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes for a few teaspoons of cajun seasoning. You’re going to end up with a pretty delicious and unique meal either way….

Cajun Rice and Shrimp in Cornbread Bowls Recipe
 
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Yield: 12 bowls

Ingredients
  • 2 cups cornmeal
  • 1½ cups flour
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • ⅔ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and diced
  • ½ yellow onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup uncooked white rice
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Southern Comfort
  • ½ pound shrimp
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • You’ll also need this Bake-a-Bowl Pan

Instructions
  1. In a bowl combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil.
  2. Pour batter into the Bake-a-Bowl Pan.
  3. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cornbread bowls comes out smooth. Repeat a second time to make 6 more cornbread bowls.
  4. In a large skillet heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.
  5. Add bell peppers and onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until softened.
  6. Add garlic, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and stir in rice, broth and ½ cup Southern Comfort.
  7. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook covered for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.
  8. Add shrimp, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the shrimp is pink and opaque.
  9. To make the whiskey sauce add brown sugar and 4 tablespoons butter to a saucepan over medium heat stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Add 2 tablespoons Southern Comfort.
  10. Spoon shrimp and rice mixture into cornbread bowls, drizzle with whiskey sauce and sprinkle with parsley.

 

The Southern Revolver

The Southern Revolver

I’m a sucker for a nice, simple cocktail that tastes great and that’s exactly what you get with this Southern Revolver! 

Normally made with bourbon, coffee liquor and a couple dashes of bitters I once again subbed in Southern Comfort Black like I did with the Spicy Southern Mule recipe that I shared with you guys.

The hints of fruit and spice found in Southern Comfort pair perfectly with the coffee liquor making this the perfect after dinner drink.

I know many of you may not have this coupe cocktail glass – don’t worry – this drink tastes just as great in a rocks glass or whatever type of glass you have on hand! 

Traditionally the Revolver is finished off by flaming an orange peel over the drink, so if you’re making one for someone else and really want to put on a show just slice off a piece of orange peel, hold it a couple of inches over a lit match above the drink and twist and squeeze the peel. Enjoy!

The Southern Revolver
 
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Yield: 1 drink

Ingredients
  • 2 ounces Southern Comfort
  • ½ ounce coffee liquor
  • 2 dashes orange bitters
  • 1 orange peel

Instructions
  1. Add Southern Comfort, coffee liquor and bitters to a mixing glass filled with ice, stir until chilled and strain into a cocktail glass.
  2. Twist orange peel over the drink and then use as a garnish.

 

Spicy Southern Lemonade

Spicy Southern LemonadeI’m pretty sure that we’re finally done with winter here in Wisconsin, although we did just get a few inches of snow on April 28th. On the small off chance that we’re not though I’m still trying my best to at least make it feel like summer with this Southern Comfort Lemonade.

I’ve been on a bit of a spicy drink kick lately, so to mix things up a little I also muddled a few slices of chili peppers in with the drink. If you’re looking to make your drink extra spicy you can use habanero peppers like I did. If you don’t want it quite as spicy serrano peppers work great. Or, if you just want a small amount of kick you can use a couple jalapeño slices. I also added a splash of sparkling water to give the drink some carbonation.

So, cheers to spring and summer and the hope that here in Wisconsin we’ll have at least four or five months to enjoy this drink before it’s no longer warm outside anymore. Then again, I have a feeling that I’ll be enjoying this drink year round from here on out….

 

Spicy Southern Lemonade
 
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Yield: 1 drink

Ingredients
  • 1 part Southern Comfort Black
  • 1 part sparkling water
  • Your choice of chilis (I went with habanero and serrano peppers)
  • Lemonade

Instructions
  1. In a glass add one part sparkling water and your choice of chili slices. If you want your drink spicy I’d recommend using habanero. If you don’t want it quite as spicy serrano peppers work great. Or, if you just want a small amount of kick you can use a couple jalapeño slices.
  2. Muddle and add one part Southern Comfort Black.
  3. Add ice and top off with lemonade. Stir and serve.

 

Southern Comfort Burgers

Southern Comfort BurgersI’ve made a ton of burgers in my life and I’ve gotta tell you, these Southern Comfort Burgers are probably my favorite yet!

My original plan with these was to make either a Southern Comfort glaze to brush the burgers with as I grilled them or to top them with a Southern Comfort Cheddar cheese sauce. After messing around in my kitchen for a while and coming up with a glaze and a cheese sauce that both turned out amazing though I decided to do both!

Now, with the Southern Comfort glaze and the cheese sauce the burgers would have been perfect already just served on a regular hamburger bun, but I wanted to step up that aspect of the burgers as well. With Southern Comfort originating in New Orleans and fried green tomatoes being a staple of Southern cuisine I decided to use those instead. It was a wise choice on my part as they made the perfect buns for this burger.

Even if you don’t follow this complete recipe you could always make the Southern Comfort glaze for your burgers, or even your ribs or chicken wings. You could also whip up a batch of the fried green tomatoes and pair them with one of the delicious drink recipes that you can find right on this page like the Spicy Southern Lemonade. Or, you could use the Southern Comfort cheese sauce to top macaroni noodles with. Actually… that’s a great idea! Alright, gotta go! I’m gonna make some Southern Comfort macaroni and cheese!

Southern Comfort Burgers Recipe
 
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Yield: 6 burgers

Ingredients
  • ½ cup Southern Comfort
  • 2 quarts oil for frying
  • 3 large green tomatoes
  • 3 pounds ground beef
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1¼ cups milk
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • Your choice of burger toppings (I went with lettuce, bacon and tomato)

Instructions
  1. Heat oil in deep fryer or heavy skillet to 375°F.
  2. Slice tomatoes into ½” thick slices and discard the ends. You’ll need a total of 12 tomato slices to make 6 burgers.
  3. Set up a dredging station with three bowls — 1 cup flour flour in the first one, 2 eggs and ½ cup milk in the second one and ½ cup cornmeal, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in the third one.
  4. Fry for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
  5. To make the whiskey glaze combine ¼ cup Southern Comfort and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add ¼ cup ketchup, ¼ tablespoon garlic powder and ¼ tablespoon onion powder and whisk to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until glaze has thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
  6. Divide ground beef into 6 equal sized patties, season with salt and pepper and grill until they reach your desired level of doneness, but brush them with the whiskey glaze for the final couple minutes on the grill.
  7. To make the whiskey cheese sauce melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons flour and whisk until golden in color. Add ¼ cup Southern Comfort and ¾ cup milk and reduce heat to low. Slowly add in 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese and continue stirring until the sauce is smooth. If you’d like a thicker sauce add more flour (1 tablespoon at a time) and if you’d like a thinner sauce add more milk (1 tablespoon at a time).
  8. Assemble your burgers by taking one fried green tomato and topping it with a burger, your choice of toppings, whiskey cheese sauce and finally a second fried green tomato.

 

The Southern Mojito

The Southern MojitoSo you know when I made my Southern Comfort version of a Moscow Mule, I mentioned that I always love when I can take a drink that’s traditionally vodka-based and use whiskey instead? Well, the same goes for swapping out rum for whiskey as well!

In this version of a mojito, mix Southern Comfort Black with lime juice, simple syrup, mint leaves and club soda to make the perfect summertime cocktail. If you’re looking for a drink to pair with those Southern Comfort-themed burgers that I shared earlier this month this is it!

If you want to make your own simple syrup you can add equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan, heat it until it starts simmering and then whisk it until the sugar is dissolved. After that you can store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator for a few weeks and use it as needed. If you don’t have simple syrup or don’t want to make your own, you can also substitute 2 teaspoons of extra fine sugar for the 1/2 ounce of simple syrup in the recipe.

The Southern Mojito Recipe
 
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Yield: 1 drink

Ingredients
  • 4 mint leaves
  • 2 ounces Southern Comfort
  • 2 limes (3/4 ounces lime juice)
  • ½ ounce simple syrup
  • Club soda

Instructions
  1. Add mint leaves, lime juice and simple syrup to the bottom of a glass and muddle the mint leaves.
  2. Add Southern Comfort and ice and then top off the glass with club soda and lime slices.

 

13 Comments on Entertaining With Southern Comfort!

  1. ally
    March 5, 2019 at 1:24 pm (5 years ago)

    This sounds sooooooooooooo good! BOTH of them. Love the cute jalapeno garnish!

    Reply
  2. Lindsay Cotter
    March 7, 2019 at 3:04 pm (5 years ago)

    Sounds fantastic! Cheers!

    Reply
  3. Toni
    March 7, 2019 at 6:15 pm (5 years ago)

    I seriously need to give it a try!

    Reply
  4. Miranda
    April 10, 2019 at 8:29 pm (5 years ago)

    I just love all of these Southern Comfort recipes especially those cornbread bowls.

    Reply
  5. Paula
    April 11, 2019 at 6:13 am (5 years ago)

    I love all these recipes!

    Reply
  6. Tony
    April 11, 2019 at 7:52 pm (5 years ago)

    This is definitely a must-try!!

    Reply
  7. Michelle
    May 13, 2019 at 10:22 am (5 years ago)

    That spicy lemonade caught my eye!

    Reply
  8. Liz
    May 14, 2019 at 5:25 pm (5 years ago)

    Great recipes!!! Time to pick up some Southern Comfort!

    Reply
  9. Lisa
    May 15, 2019 at 6:05 pm (5 years ago)

    Such great cocktails! Cheers!

    Reply
  10. Ryan
    May 16, 2019 at 6:08 pm (5 years ago)

    So many great cocktails to toast summer!

    Reply
  11. Ashley
    May 16, 2019 at 8:29 pm (5 years ago)

    All these look and sound amazing! Would love to try all!

    Reply
  12. Ashley F
    June 6, 2019 at 7:43 pm (5 years ago)

    So many delicious recipes to choose from!

    Reply
  13. Alyssa
    June 6, 2019 at 11:34 pm (5 years ago)

    This will quickly become my husband’s favorite!

    Reply

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