Bourbon Balls and Chili Buns

Eating Like A Kentuckian, With a Bourbon Chaser.

Chili Buns a la Weaver’s in London, KY.

Chili Buns

When I contracted to write a book about Bourbon and Rye a while back, Mary Kate thought I should get to know the food of Kentucky. So she bought me a copy of a 2014 volume by Fiona Young Brown called A Culinary History of Kentucky.

Among the recipes for burgoo and biscuits, my eye was drawn to a chapter called “Pool Hall Chili.” Who doesn’t like chili? Who doesn’t like pool halls?

In the small town of London, in south-central Kentucky, there is a place called Weaver’s Pool Hall (also variously called Weaver’s Hot Dogs and Weaver’s on 4th). There they serve a hyper-regional speciality called Chili Buns. This is basically a chili dog without the hot dog. Just chili in a bun.

The recipe was included in the book. It is very simple: ground chuck, onions, beer, tomato puree, salt, chili powder and hot sauce, cooked down until it is the consistency of Sloppy Joe meat. You then pile it into a bun and top it with mustard and chopped onion.

We have been tasting Bourbon all week over here at The Mix. And you know how much we love regional food! On this Saturday night, as we await the arrival of a New York winter storm, we could think of nothing more homey, more heart-warming, than cooking up a dinner of Kentucky comfort food.

I bought a pound of ground chuck at Staubitz Meat Market, our century-old neighborhood butcher, and cooked up a batch of Weaver’s chili. And then we ate ourselves a meal of Chili Buns. They were scrumptious and surprisingly light as air. We washed them down with Manhattans. Here’s the recipe:

Pool Hall Chili

• 2 pounds ground chuck beef

• 4 onions, diced

• 10 ounces beer

• 2 tsps. salt

• 9 ounces tomato puree

• 5 tsps. chili powder

• 5 tsps. hot sauce

Combine the ground beef chuck, onion, beer and salt in a large pan and simmer for 40 minutes, being sure to mash and break up the meat into fine pieces. Add the tomato puree, chili powder and hot sauce. Cook an additional 20 minutes. Serves on hot dog buns with mustard and onion. Can also be served over hot dogs.

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But what of dessert? From the same cookbook Mary Kate found a recipe of Bourbon Balls. I’ll leave it to her to tell you about them…

A batch of Bourbon Balls.

Bourbon Balls

MK here —

I love the idea of making Bourbon balls, but they are so sweet. If I take a sip of a Manhattan after eating one, it takes like straight Bourbon. Not sweet at all. So this treat is for the guest with the sweet tooth. Never fear though; I guarantee if you make them for a party, there will be some guest who says “Bourbon balls! I love Bourbon balls!!” (Bob Cashill, I am talking about you.)

So, if you have 1 cup of finely chopped pecans, soak them in 5 tablespoons of good quality Bourbon overnight. Then mix that with a 1/2 cup of soft butter and 16 ounces of powdered sugar and form into balls about 1/2-3/4” in diameter. Refrigerate the balls overnight.

The next day, when the balls are set, coat them in melted chocolate and, if you want, top each with a pecan half. You will have a fun treat to add to any dessert buffet or to serve by themselves with a glass of Bourbon after dinner. Compliments of Fiona Young Brown.

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Bourbon and Rye Reviews, Round #6

Weller Special Reserve, Kentucky, 45% abv

The whole Weller line, produced by the Sazerac Company and made at Buffalo Trace in Kentucky, is sought after by Bourbon lovers, particularly those who covet the hard-to-find Pappy van Winkle. Both are Wheated Bourbons. The Weller “green label” Special Reserve is 7-8 years old made from a mash bill of 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. It has a full, complex nose. It is sweet and smooth on the palate, going down easy, with notes of cream brûlée, apple, pear, and spice. A lovely, very likable bourbon with a velvety smooth finish. Good for sipping and mixing.

Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, 45% abv

Buffalo Trace, made since 1999, is one of the most visible and available of the many Bourbons made by its namesake distillery in Kentucky. That said, it is often allocated and can be hard to find for months at a time. It generally receives high marks from whiskey fans and critics as an emblematic Bourbon. The mash bill is 89.5% corn, 7% rye, and 3.5% malted barley. It has a pretty, welcoming, classic Bourbon nose. It tastes of cinnamon, toffee, heath bars, faint vanilla and caramel. Overall, it has a restrained and dignified character. Great for sipping, but probably good for just about every use. I recommended it for an Old-Fashioned in my book The Old-Fashioned.

Eagle Rare 10yo Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, 45% abv

Eagle Rare, another Buffalo Trace product, is a fan favorite that doesn’t always get as much attention as other Bourbons. Maybe that’s because it was introduced in 1975, during the dark ages of Bourbon when nobody cared about the spirit. That said, the 10-year-old fetches a high price when found on the shelves. The mash bill is 71% corn, 21% rye, and 8% barley. The nose brings cream corn. caramel corn, cinnamon and nutmeg. The whiskey stands upright, with spice from the advanced age (and some from the rye) and oak notes, but not too much. It’s a reassuring whiskey, like an old rocking chair. There’s a bit of heat on the finish, but otherwise it’s yum yum yum all the way to the end. It would stand up to a strong vermouth like Carpano in a Manhattan.

Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey, Kentucky, 45% abv

The namesake rye from the Sazerac Company has never gotten the press lavished on heritage ryes like Rittenhouse and Old Overholt, but it has its place. It’s a rye for those who are a bit intimidated by the spirit’s spicy character. The mash bill’s rye component may be as low as 51%, the legal limit. It’s aged at least four years. That means a much softer spirit. The composed nose smells of sour cherry and creamy caramel. The palate is extremely smooth and sleek for a rye, with notes of brown sugar, burnt orange, and cherry. It is tingley on the tongue, as opposed to spicy. Good for cocktails, including, you guessed it, the Sazerac.

Ancient Age Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, 40% abv

Ancient Age is one of those vaguely known Bourbon labels that has seemingly been around forever (check the antique-y label) and nobody knows much about, because it’s rarely written up. It is produced at Buffalo Trace in partnership with Age International. It clocks in at a basic 40% abv and is only aged to 36 months. The nose is corny and vanilla-sweet. The taste is unsurprisingly young. On the plus side, there is no burn on the finish. The garden club ladies will love this in a punch.

Benchmark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, 40% abv

Like Ancient Age, Benchmark is aged just 36 months and, like Ancient Age, is an unglamorous service Bourbon. It has little nose. The palate is raw and peppery. Perhaps best used as half of a Boilermaker.

Bomberger’s PFG Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, 51% abv.

This 2025 expression of Michter’s Bomberger’s limited edition line is subtitled Precisions Fine Grain. The whiskey is finished in custom proprietary toasted and charred French fine-grain, oak barrels. It has the super deep color of a leather club chair. There are a variety of wood, smoke and spice notes on the very complex and deep nose. There is more smoke and campfire on the palate, as well as burnt caramel. This delicious Bourbon very much insists upon itself and won’t be ignored. Great after dinner, or for a nightcap.

Chocorua Straight Rye Whiskey, New Hampshire, 45% alcohol.

This is a 100% rye whiskey made by the Tamsworth Distillery in New Hampshire. It is distilled from a single crop of organic rye grain from Maine. It has a grassy nose reminiscent of the Maryland and Pennsylvania rye whiskeys now coming back to the market. The palate is grassy, bright, tangy and effervescent. It will not be for everyone, but its raw-rye character is intended for rye fans. Best for sipping.

Thanks so much for joining us for Bourbon and rye week at The Mix! See you tomorrow for our last sips. But before you go— please take advantage of the sale and subscribe below to get one year of The Mix for $40. That’s $3.33 a month. Step up and support independent journalism!