I have this Jack Daniels dipping sauce for steak that I really like. I got to wondering if soaking the steak in Jack Daniels whiskey for a while would have a good effect on the meat. I don’t want to blindly waste either the meat or the liquor by experimenting, so I’m asking those of you who know culinary theory if it sounds like a good idea. Would the flavor penetrate? Would it make the meat more tender? Would the alcohol being absorbed into the meat mean it’ll burn from the inside when placed on a grill (which would be terrible, as I like my steaks pretty rare)? What do you all think?
Give it a shot, I had a recipe somewhere that was those country style boneless pork “ribs” sealed in a zippy bag with jack daniels, honey, black pepper and a dash of cinnamon. Make sure there isn’t any air in with the stuff, and marinate overnight. In the afternoon, pour everything into a cast iron skillet or really heavy pan, and set on medium low, and turn the meat frequently and cook it until the liquid is turned into a glaze. IIRC it takes like 4 or 5 hours to cook.
Definitely going to ruin the whiskey. Might make the steak taste a little bit like J.D., sorta.
I routinely add whiskey to pot roast, red beans, etc…pretty much anything I can cook in a crock pot. Never used it as the sole marinade, though. Think I’d rather drink the whiskey and marinade the steak with Dale’s…
You might get more guests than you were expecting for dinner…
I’ve had Jack Daniels Mashed Sweet Potatoes as a side with my steak and it has been delicious. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work as a marinade.
You’ll taste the flavor much more in the fat than the meat, so it depends on how marbled your steak is. Either way the flavor will be subtle, and the longer grilling time, the less you’ll taste it.
Here ya go. My brother marinates his steak in this (or a very similar recipe–he makes a marinade with Jack, soy sauce, brown sugar, and some other stuff, and this recipe hits all those flavors), and it works really well. I’m generally not a fan of marinades with steaks, but for less-than-spectacular cuts, it really does help. And you definitely do notice a bit of the whiskey taste in the final product, but not so much that it bugs you.
Never tried whisky, but I have used pastis (aniseed liquor). Ten minutes tops, otherwise the alcohol cooks the meat too much. It’s great if you like aniseed. 
God would strike you dead.
I should also mention - with a blander meat like chicken or pork, if you flour a breast or a chop, (or flour 1 inch cubes), season with a little salt and pepper and sauté them in butter until just cooked, about 7 minutes, then add in an ounce or so of Jack Daniels (or bourbon, or whisky) and flambé, you will get a delicious roux-style gravy where you will really taste the liquor.