BBQ Essentials
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The UK has certainly embraced barbecuing in a big way over the past 25 years, with over 75% of households now owning some sort of BBQ grill.
The UK has certainly embraced barbecuing in a big way over the past 25 years, with over 75% of households now owning some sort of BBQ grill.
Sausages are an easy go-to BBQ option, especially as they’re often inexpensive. There are also many different types to choose from, including some that are spicy, some that are rich in flavour, and others that are much more subtle. Such differences all make wine pairing more complex.
Not surprisingly, the best wine is going to depend on the type of sausages that you’re serving.
A fruity red wine with some tannins, like a merlot or a cabernet sauvignon, is a good place to start. This type of wine will stand up well to sausages that have complex flavours, particularly those that are on the fatty side. This is particularly true for very spicy sausages, that aren’t subtle at all. You might even want to try a heavily oaked bottle of cabernet sauvignon.
If your sausages tend to be mild instead, then consider pinot noir as your wine of choice. The light body of the wine makes it easy to drink and means that pinot noir won’t overpower many foods. This is why it features in so many different food and wine pairings.
Many sausages do surprisingly well with white wine too. This is because sausages are often sweeter than you expect, especially if they contain red onion or apple. The white wine helps to contrast against this sweetness, giving you a delicious balance. The combination is particularly nice for sausages that contain lighter meats like pork and chicken.
Pinot gris is a fantastic white wine to choose here, as it isn’t strongly aromatic and has enough body to stand up against the flavours. This wine will even work when you’re making a hot dog, as most of the ingredients that you stack on top are a little sweet too.
First things first, let’s think about how you’re cooking your chicken. If you’re literally cooking it on the grill and serving it with BBQ sauce, then your best bet is a medium bodied red wine, ideally one without too much oak.
Some types of white wine can work too, including an off-dry riesling and a gewürztraminer. Both types of wine contain some sweetness, which naturally parallels the balance of sweet and spicy that you often find in BBQ sauce.
And, as you can probably guess, you can turn to a rosé too. After all, rosé is a versatile wine and works well with many flavour profiles.
Nothing disproves the notion that you can’t have red wine with fish like Gamay. With its light body and low tannins, Gamay is one of the most food-friendly varietals, but its bright fruit and acidity are a beautiful contrast to the smoky flavour and creamy texture of barbecued salmon.
Like many BBQ foods, it's all about the marinade. Salmon is a blank canvas with fins, which means there are countless ways to play with flavours all summer long. It has such a high fat content (that's what makes it so delicious!) that it doesn't need to be doused with oil and it will take on flavour from dry rubs just as well as wet marinades.
Your wine choice should be influenced by any added flavours from marinades or rubs, but Pinot noir is an easy choice for salmon, which isn’t too surprising, as it pairs well with baked salmon too. If you prefer white wine, then consider a chardonnay. Chardonnay tends to be relatively rich, with buttery tones, so it’s an ideal choice with the richness of salmon. Chenin blanc is an another alternative. This white wine has notable acidity and some sweet flavours. It often isn’t as rich as a chardonnay, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as you’re giving the salmon more of a chance to shine through.
While we’re on the topic of seafood, it’s time to talk about prawns. Grilled prawns are a classic BBQ choice, so it’s important to get the pairing right. Most of the time, you’ll be best off focusing on a rosé or a white wine. However, the specific wine will depend on how your prawns are seasoned and what else you’re serving.
For example, if you’re grilling them with tomatoes, then a dry rosé is an ideal choice. The fruit flavours of the wine work well with the smokiness and tomato flavours of your dish.
For grilled prawns that are going on a salad, sauvignon blanc tends to be better. The herbaceous tones in sauvignon blanc naturally pair with greens, while the lightness of the wine is beautiful with most salads.
And, when you’re serving prawns on their own, chardonnay is exceptional. This combination is especially perfect when you’re using a little butter with your prawns. You end up with a rich and delicious combination that is difficult to beat.
Like sausages, burgers are often fatty and can be packed with many different flavours. This is another case where a rich red wine can be perfect. Cabernet sauvignon and merlot remain easy go-to choices, along with a grenache blend.
If you want something a little more unusual, try a bottle of zinfandel. Red zinfandel wine is distinctive, due to its high alcohol content and jam-like fruitiness.
The fruit-forward nature of the wine is ideal when you’re dealing with complex flavours. After all, a burger tends to be full of other ingredients as well as the meat.
Like sausages, burgers are often fatty and can be packed with many different flavours. This is another case where a rich red wine can be perfect. Cabernet sauvignon and merlot remain easy go-to choices, along with a grenache blend.
If you want something a little more unusual, try a bottle of zinfandel. Red zinfandel wine is distinctive, due to its high alcohol content and jam-like fruitiness.
The fruit-forward nature of the wine is ideal when you’re dealing with complex flavours. After all, a burger tends to be full of other ingredients as well as the meat.
BBQ Food & Wine Pairings at a Glance
BEEF – Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
LAMB – Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Merlot, Malbec
PORK – Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Rosé, Pinot Noir.
CHICKEN – Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Riesling.
DUCK – Pinot Noir, Rosé
LOBSTER – Chardonnay, Viognier, Rosé.
PRAWNS – Sparkling White, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer or Rosé.
OCTOPUS/SQUID – Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio, Rosé, Grenache or Tempranillo.
FISH – Chardonnay, Semillon, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Grenache
VEGETABLES – Rosé, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Grenache.
SALADS – Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé
A final thought about the "philosophy" of barbecuing. It is supposed to be fun, it's not a race against time, so don’t grill too quickly or on too high a heat, as this causes food to burn on the outside whilst being under cooked in the middle. The trick is to ‘sear on high’ and then take it ‘low and slow’.
I have more charcoal at one end of my BBQ, so I get hot, medium and low cooking zones. It helps if the grill-bars are well oiled and don’t turn food too soon, it needs to caramalise / seal, then it won't stick to the bars. Wait until it releases naturally.
A good guide to BBQ temperature is the hand test. Hold your hand around 6” from the grill; if you can only keep it there for around 30 seconds, the temperature is too hot, 1-2 minutes is high and an ideal searing heat. 2-3 minutes means a medium temperature, ideal for normal grilling. 3-5 minutes is fairly warm and good for keeping food warm.
Any longer and the grill is not ready, so go and pour youself a nice glass of wine while you wait.
