Five of the Best Grilled Food and Wine Pairings
Now that grilling seasonally has become grilling ceaselessly, the need for recipes is greater than ever. And with the grill going year round, it’s time you know how to pair wine with more than pasta. While there are plenty of specialty pairings, sometimes it’s best to stick with the classics. Here are five of the best-grilled food and wine pairings that won’t have you lost in the international wine section.
- Barbeque Ribs with a cherry forward Zinfandel
Try pairing slow roasted ribs with a cherry forward zinfandel for this classic combo. The bold fruits and slight spice of the Zinfandel will complement the sweet and smoky flavors of the slow roasted ribs. For a heightened experience add some maple smoking chips CC6000 to the grill while you slow cook. This will add a burst of maple flavor that the fruit forward Zinfandel can play off of.
- Steak with a tannin-rich Cabernet Sauvignon
For a classic steak pairing, you need look no further than a big bold Cab. The high and dry flavors of this very tannic wine will help counter the fatty profile of the meat. You can look to complicate this pairing by adding a Cabernet blend. The commonly blended Cab will fluctuate between spice and finish based on its blending partners to add a new experience to every steak.
- Grilled Seafood with a sweet Sauvignon Blanc
Turn to the white wines for your seafood pairings. Dishes containing shrimp, oysters, and scallops will match the crisp flavor profile of a Sauvignon Blanc. Unlike red wines, this bright and often citric white won’t blow your dish out of the water. And if you’re wondering how to cook oysters on the grill for this pairing, try a 3-tier stainless steel oyster rack CC3140.
- Cedar Plank Salmon with crisp Chablis
Like the other seafood pairings, Salmon goes nicely with a white that is aged in steel. Chablis makes a perfect fit because its high acidity and dry flavor profile don’t overpower the fish. Try cooking this pairing on the grill by simply placing your salmon on a cedar plank CC6040 and letting the flavors soak through the fish.
- Barbeque Pork with a fruity Grenache
Similar to the Zinfandel pairing a sweeter meat like barbeque pulled pork will be best complemented by a fruity Grenache. The Grenache is known for its cinnamon and fruit flavors that are contrasted by its high alcohol content. Unlike some of the other pairings, the contrast created between high alcohol and sweetness here is what makes this combination stand out. Whether it is pulled pork tacos or a pork sandwich, Grenache is your go to.
