Maple Bourbon Peach Butter

by | Jan 6, 2021 | Dessert, Fruit & Vegetables, Plank Recipes, Pro: Liz Lynch, Recipes, Smoking Pellets

When my friend Casey posted a picture of her maple-bourbon peach butter, I commented something like “oh my god, I need your recipe for this peachy magic”. Like so many delicious things, Casey had no “official” recipe, but she gave me some critical tips. Natural maple flavor can be difficult to maintain in cooking but a Wildwood Grilling maple plank takes this sweet treat’s intensity to the next level.

Total Time: 15 minutes prep, plus up to 6 hours cooking
Servings: 6-8 oz.

Ingredients:

1 Maple Grilling Plank
4 ripe Peaches
1 cup Maple Syrup
½ cup Bourbon
1 cup Water

Chef's Tip

This recipe relies on an Instant Pot and a pellet grill. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, place the ingredients in an oven-safe vessel in and cook at 200-225°F for the same amount of time, checking the peaches on an hourly basis. You can also use the plank in the oven, although the maple flavor won’t be quite as strong.

Directions:

  1. Soak the maple plank in warm water at least 15 minutes. Fill your pellet grill’s hopper with maple wood pellets. Preheat the pellet grill to 350°F.
  2. Remove each peach’s stem and cut them in half, remove the pits. Arrange the peaches onto soaked plank. One plank should accommodate up to 8 pitted halves.
  3. Put the peachy plank in the grill for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, raise the temperature to High, about 425°F. Check the peaches every 10 minutes; the goal is for the  juice dripping on the plank to begin to caramelize.
  4. Remove the plank and use a spatula to move the peaches into the Instant Pot. Add the bourbon, then the maple syrup. Put the lid on, with the vent open, and set the Instant Pot to “slow cook” (normal intensity) for at least 4 hours, up to 8 hours. Check and gently stir the contents hourly.
  5. Turn off the Instant Pot, remove the lid, and let the contents cool slightly. Move the peaches into a food processor, pulse until smooth. Add about 1 cup of the liquid from
    the pot, and pulse again. Repeat until all liquid has been added.
  6. Pour the contents of the food processor through a fine mesh strainer back into the pot. You may need to use a spoon or spatula to “encourage” the mixture through the
    strainer.
  7. Once strained, return the inner pot to the Instant Pot, then use the “sauté” setting (low intensity) for about 15 minutes, stirring the contents frequently until the mixture has
    reached a BBQ sauce-like consistency.
  8. Turn off the Instant Pot and let the mixture cool slightly, stirring occasionally to prevent burning as the heating element winds down. Use a spoon or spatula to move the
    mixture into one 8 ounce, or two 4 ounce, glass jars. Store in refrigerator.

*Keep a spray bottle of water handy in case of flare-ups.

Used in this recipe:

Maple Grilling Plank