DRINK
Match made in heaven
So you’ve chosen the menu and fired up
the barbecue. Drink anyone? THERESE
GAUGHAN on wines and beers to
complement the food
When looking at matching drinks with
food the main tip is to look at the key
ingredients being used in the dish. What
is the most dominant ingredient from a
flavour perspective and then take your
cue from that.
You can then look at the elements in the
drink that you wish to pair with it. Are there
similar flavours? Are there flavours that may
clash? What are you marinading with? What
sauce are you serving the dish with?
You want something that will complement
your food, not overpower it. This thinking,
while often used in pairing wines, can be
applied for beer, ciders and cocktails.
First of all simple rules such as red wine
with red meat and white wine with white
meat and fish can be applied. But the rules
can be always bent dependent on the dish.
While many advise on wines such as Shiraz,
Merlot, Malbec, Zinfandel and Chardonnay
as the traditional go-to for barbecue wines, it
is worth thinking out of the box.
The suggestions for these wines are
normally ones from Australia, New Zealand,
California and Argentina. Many of these
wines will be high in alcohol, heavily oaked
and while they will pair well with steak,
brisket and pulled pork dishes, the tannins
may be more pronounced. They could be
very heavy for a barbecue on a summer’s
day, so consider wines that are lighter, but
still work well from a flavour perspective.
It is worth looking towards Eastern
Europe for barbecue friendly wines.
Hungary has a wealth of rich full bodied
reds such as Bikaver and Kékfrankos which
also have a fruity roundness to them and
good tannins, as well as spiciness, which
will hold up to spice-heavy marinades
(chilli, cloves, nutmeg).
The whites such as Furmint have a
freshness to them that will complement any
fish dish; the sweet Tokaji, traditionally
served with desserts, will work wonders with
dishes such as baked apricots and peaches
or roast pineapple and mango.
Also look at wines from Burgundy
such as Pommard and Volnay which are
lighter in style but stand up well to beef
(traditionally served with steak in
Burgundy) or whites such as Aligoté or
Meursault that will happily complement an
oak-smoked chicken dish. Pinot Noir, that
ever-popular Burgundy grape, works well
with roast duck and pork dishes.
Austrian or German wines such as
Spätburgunder are a great wine to pair
with spicy dishes or steak. Whites such as
Gruner Veltliner match well with fish and
Gewürztraminer; off dry Reisling and Pinot
Blanc match with Asian marinades due to
their sweetness and freshness.
For shellfish dishes look at Picpoul de
Pinet; Chablis with crab and lobster,
Champagne or Cremant with oysters and
Sauvignon Blanc with scallops.
Rioja is always my go-to for lamb and
goat dishes or Middle-Eeastern recipes. The
Tempranillo grape has a wonderful affinity
for light spices and aromatics.
We should not neglect rosé, a great
summer drink. But do pay attention to the
grapes used to make it. The traditional
French styles will be light and fragrant with
a slight acidic finish, so are great with fish
such as tuna.
Look at rosés from Argentina for
heavier-bodied ones made from Merlot or
Syrah grapes that are a wonderful pairing
with roast lamb or vegetable dishes such
as ratatouille.
Beer pairing may be seen as the easier
option for many a barbecue drink, but can
be just as complex with the vast range of
craft beers now available.
Many of the modern style IPAs have a
citrus note which would work well with
dishes that have lemon or Thai style
marinades – BrewDog’s Punk IPA is one that
comes to mind. Aim for one with a sweeter
rather than dry finish, as the bitter hop notes
may clash.
Those with a coriander finish such as
Lowlander IPA will work well with Tandoori
style marinades. Traditional English ales
including Old Speckled Hen, Fuller’s, Sharp’s
and Badger and amber beers such as Palm
or De Koninck with less bitter and more
rounded flavours will work well with dishes
such as chilli, brisket, smoked wings or a
good old fashioned burger or hotdog.
Look to beers from Belgium such as Leffe,
La Chouffe and Duvel that can stand up to
more flavour in a dish. Bock-style beers have
a little more depth and sweetness to them.
Cider should not be forgotten. There is
nothing better than a simple roast chicken
with a sparkling Breton or Normandy cider
and it also pairs well with a simple roast
pork dish.
There are also some wonderful English
ciders to consider. Those erring on the
sweeter style will also pair with chicken and
pork and also suit traditional spare ribs. Try
the dryer styles with fish.
Pairing drinks with food is often seen as a
daunting task and when applying this to
barbecue even more so. It’s worth taking a
step back and keeping it simple. Start with
the food and then work towards the drink.
Therese Gaughan, originally from Ireland,
trained at the Leiths School of Food and
Wine in London, before moving to the
Netherlands and setting up her own website
Kitchen Exile (www.kitchenexile.com)
BBQ | Spring 2020 | 29