I'm a whiskey-drinking chef - how to master cooking with whiskey for your May bank holiday barbecue

If you're looking out of the window and thinking about finally getting the barbecue out this year, you'd be in good company - almost half of Brits said they prefer barbecues to picnics last year. It's been a wet start to the Great British barbecue season this year, but that just means garden grill masters have more time to prepare to impress their mates with the BBQ of dreams.

And what better way to up your grill game than cooking with a new spirit? Whiskey enthusiast and professional chef for recipe box delivery service Gousto, Sophie Nahmad, reveals how you can add whiskey to the ingredients list to super-charge your next garden get-together.

Why should you cook with whiskey?

"Whiskey is a drink that can split opinions," says Sophie. "But it's a super versatile ingredient for both sweet and savoury dishes. You can use whiskey in place of wine in a lot of recipes - such as upscaling many recipes with a creamy whiskey sauce, as well as giving a kick to robust chillies, and it's even great in a cheese Fondue!

"The thing to remember is that whiskey can easily overpower a recipe with its strong flavour, so be mindful to add it in small quantities while cooking and taste often. You'll want to make sure the overall flavour of your dish is well balanced.

"You can do this by pairing a smokey whiskey with a recipe strong in citrus or vinegar; adding a little spice to something sweet; or bolstering something rich like butter or cream for a sauce that hits all the right notes.

Types of whiskey you can use & how they affect flavour:

"Just like with other spirits, the type of whiskey you use can have a big impact on flavour. If you are looking to add a hit of smokey-ness to a recipe, then you'll want to use a peated scotch whiskey. This works well in a sauce that you can serve with a rich meat dish - like haggis, duck, or steak.

"To add a hint of sweetness and light smokey-ness to your recipes, you'll want to use a Bourbon. It's a little sweeter and has a vanilla-ey, oaky flavour. It pairs well with desserts, and also makes a great glaze for meat recipes.

"Check out a couple of my favourite whiskey recipes below to see how we pair bourbon with honey, chipotle, and citrus to create delicious fried chicken with a sumptuous sweet and spicy glaze, or how a tot of Irish whiskey in custard can transform the everyday favourite Bread and Butter Pudding into a sensation worthy of special occasions."

Chipotle-Honey & Whiskey Glazed Fried Chicken

Ingredients (serves 2)

Glaze:

20g chipotle paste

25g honey

1/2 lime

20ml Bourbon Whiskey

40g butter

Fried Chicken:

320g chicken thighs

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground coriander

4 tbsp flour

Salt & Pepper

Method

1. Combine your glaze ingredients in a small pan on the hob and cook for 2-3 min or until thickened - this is your chipotle honey & whiskey glaze

2. Combine the smoked paprika, dried oregano and ground coriander in a large bowl with 4 tbsp flour and a generous pinch of salt and pepper

3. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl with 4 tsp cold water. Give everything a good mix up and, using your hands, scrunch the flour onto the chicken until fully coated – this is your coated chicken

4. Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a very generous drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat

5. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium-high and add the coated chicken to the pan and cook for 8-10 min on each side or until golden, crispy and cooked through (no pink meat!). Once done, season the cooked chicken with a pinch of salt – this is your fried chicken

6. In a bowl, toss the glaze over the fried chicken & serve immediately. Enjoy!

Irish Coffee Bread and Butter Pudding

Ingredients (serves 6-12):

• ½ farmhouse loaf (slightly stale is best)

• Lightly salted Butter

• 75g milk chocolate chips

• 75g raisins

• 4 medium Eggs

• 200 ml Double Cream

• 200 ml Whole Milk

• 150 ml strong fresh coffee (cooled in fridge)

• 50ml Irish whiskey

• 2 drops vanilla extract

• 50 g Caster Sugar

• 50 g Light Brown Sugar

Method:

1. Grease an oven-proof casserole dish with butter, then slice the bread into 2cm thick slices and lightly butter each slice on one side.

2. Once buttered, cut each slice diagonally into triangles. Lay half of the slices neatly into the casserole dish, slightly overlapping, then sprinkle half of the choc chips & raisins on top

3. Place the remaining bread slices on top as a second layer, then sprinkle over the remaining choc chips & raisins

4. In a jug, whisk together your eggs, cream, milk, vanilla extract, caster sugar and coffee, whiskey, until smooth & fully combined

5. Pour the coffee & cream mixture over the top of your sliced bread, making sure every slice is covered!

6. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/360F/Gas 4. While your oven heats up, place your casserole dish in the fridge – ideally leave for 30 minutes to let the custard soak in

7. When your oven is hot, take your pudding out of the fridge, sprinkle over the brown sugar, then bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp and the pudding slightly puffed up.

8. Serve warm, pour over an extra splash of double cream and grab a glass of whiskey – enjoy!