Jack Daniel's Meat Comes to Supermarket Shelves

(MoneyWatch)  When you think Jack Daniel's, do baby back ribs and barbecue pulled pork and chicken come to mind?

They're working on that. Jack Daniel's has partnered with California-based Completely Fresh Foods to produce a line of refrigerated ready-to-eat meat entrees. The companies have been testing the products for about a year now and are ready to go national.

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey is a key ingredient. "The unique mellow taste of Jack Daniel's has long been recognized for adding a delicious touch to marinades and sauces and we have enjoyed great success with Jack Daniel's brand grilling sauces, mustard and other products," said David Dorsey, a VP at Brown-Forman Corporation, Jack Daniel's parent company.

I knew nothing about these sauces, which is why the idea of a whiskey maker suddenly launching meat products struck me as amusingly bizarre. But it's a good time for it -- because of the recession, people are spending more at grocery stores and less at restaurants, and instant ribs could prove a popular item. Assuming, that is, that they're actually any good.