Foodie News

Nolan Ryan's beef cookbook is genius: Move over George Foreman

Nolan Ryan isn't just a baseball player or a legend, he is a golden god.

Growing up in the 1980s in Texas means that I know an inordinate amount of guys my age named Nolan. Back when there were rumors that Ryan would run for Texas Railroad Commissioner, I assumed it meant that Texas would soon have the fastest railroads in the world, with trains that would take us everywhere except Chicago.

Ryan's beef cookbook is the pretty much the perfect melding of a sports figure and the lifestyle they associate themselves with — until Roger Clemens opens a juice bar.

So when it came out that Nolan Ryan is writing a beef cookbook to be released in 2014 titled, appropriately, The Nolan Ryan Beef Cookbook, my first thought was that finally, eating beef is going to be worth it.

Hyperbole aside, if there's anything that Ryan is associated with other than baseball, it's a distinctly Texan ranching tradition. As the press release states,

[E]ver since he bought his first heifer at the tender age of ten, ranching has been close to Nolan Ryan’s heart. Ryan was one of the first baseball players to sign a contract worth $1 million. He invested his earnings in a ranch. While still pitching for the Texas Rangers he was asked to run for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, and during this period in his career, he started to compile his favorite beef recipes. Ryan served on the Board of Directors of the Beefmaster Association, and while there started his own eponymous brand, Nolan Ryan’s All Natural Beef, to increase consumer awareness of the brand."

But even with Ryan's meaty credentials aside, it's nice to see Ryan take the next step in the proud tradition of Texas professional athletes venturing into the food business. Dan Pastorini makes a surprisingly tasty steak rub, George Foreman has sold more than 100 million grills with his name on them, and Yao Ming still has one Houston restaurant, although the downtown location recently crashed and burned.

Ryan's beef cookbook is the pretty much the perfect melding of a sports figure and the lifestyle they associate themselves with — until Roger Clemens opens a juice bar, that is.

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Refill, revere, rejoice

Austin distiller refills Kentucky Bourbon bottles for $1 in UT gameday stunt

Photo courtesy of Still Austin Whiskey Co.

Still Austin is filling up empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles and adding its own label in a display of Texas dominance.

Cheap bourbon isn't usually something people line up for, but in this case they know it's good. Still Austin Whiskey Co., a favorite Austin distiller, is offering $1 refills of its own Cask Strength Bourbon on empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles on November 23.

The promotion celebrates the Texas Longhorns vs. Kentucky Wildcats football match the same day. This is a highly anticipated game because the two teams have only been matched up once, back in 1951. Kentucky coach Mike Stoops reportedly also upped the ante by saying the Longhorns have "no weaknesses."

Essentially, this is a parallel challenge by Still Austin: Replace your Kentucky Bourbon with our Texas spirit and watch the Lone Star State win again.

"Why would I ever taint your bourbon with dried up Kentucky juice[?]" asked a (frankly, terrifying) customer on Instagram.

There is a misconception that bourbon has to be made in Kentucky. The Kentucky Distillers’ Association itself points out that, "According to the 1964 Congressional Resolution, in order to have “Bourbon” on the label it must be made in the United States of America and meet all other federal “standards of identity” for Bourbon."

Still Austin CEO and co-founder Chris Seals is setting the record straight with a little snark, inviting both fans and "skeptics" to stop by to take advantage of the deal.

“We’re deeply grateful to Kentucky for inventing the stuff, but after 200 years of the same old bourbon, people want something new,” said Seals in a press release.“The idea that great bourbon can only come from Kentucky is a myth based on decades of misinformation. We’re inviting everyone still holding onto this old guard notion to ‘Kentucky Fill Up’ to experience the difference for themselves.”

The product he's chosen to represent the brand, the Cask Strength Bourbon, is described as "a deeper more 'metal' version of our beloved straight bourbon." It's 116 proof (58 percent ABV) and has won double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition twice, in 2022 and 2023.

Still Austin will only refill 500 bottles. Here are the rules: The bottles have to be 750 milliliters, clean, intact (with the original cap on hand), and they must have originally contained bourbon from a Kentucky Distillery. There are two time slots for refilling at 9 am and 11:30 am. Patrons can get tickets ahead of time at stillaustin.com.

In addition to the fill-ups, Still Austin will host a watch party starting at 2:30 pm. More Texas-Kentucky crossover will include Frozen Texas Julep cocktails, Texas fried chicken, and an armadillo derby race. There will also be exclusive merch and giveaways. Still Austin is the official corporate partner of Texas Athletics.

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Fans of Austin sports and Austin food and drinks can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm December 12 at Distribution Hall. Find out more about it here.

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