Summertime Smokehouse

[Darrell Gibson]

The thought of going into summer brings up cherished memories of grilling, barbequing and smoking meals out on the patio. Pairing wine with this type of cooking method may seem a bit difficult, but it is actually easier than one may initially think. The main consideration is the flavor profile or style of barbeque you are preparing. For the most part, "barbequed" foods have three major flavor categories. These categories are sweet and sour, spicy and or smoky. Obviously, these styles can be intermingled as well, but for this article we will stick to the basics.

If you normally like to grill an item then add a barbeque sauce to the finished product or if you like to marinate an item before you grill it - this generally falls under the "sweet and sour" category. Barbeque sauce is a basic sweet and sour sauce as well as are most marinades. If this is the style of barbeque you prefer, I find that Shiraz tends to work well.

If you are a fan of Tait "The Ball Buster" Shiraz 2003 or the Wishing Tree Shiraz 2004 you may understand this pairing. These two Shiraz, and quite a few others, are dry red wines, which non-wine-drinkers may refer to as "sour." However these wines also have an intense concentration of dark cassis-like flavors, which gives an illusion of sweetness. This pairing is using the basic complement method that I find works well playing off the sweet and sour styles of both the food and wine.

If you normally like to place a "dry rub" on an item then grill it - this generally falls under the category of Sweet and Spicy. A basic rub recipe will include sugar, salt, some type of seasoning and spices. Red Zinfandels tend to work very well with this style. Zinfandels tend to be described with characteristics of "spice-" and "dark berries." Again, the complement method of food and wine pairing plays off the "spicy and sweet" styles of both the food and wine.

If you normally like to smoke items I find that some Bordeaux or Northern Red Rhône wines tend to work very well with this style. Some Bordeaux wines can exude characteristics of ground coffee bean or espresso, which even though this may sound strange, is a great complement to lightly smoked items. If you want to experience this match, buy a bottle of Château Sissan 2001. If you have a heavier smoked item I find that Northern Rhône red wines, especially from Côte Rôtie, tend to pair very well. Northern Rhône wines tend to have a smoky and smoked meat/bacon-like characteristic that complement meats that are heavily smoked.

In general, wines that are aged in oak barrels for a considerable amount of time also work well with smoked items. Aging wines for a period of time in oak barrels will give the wine an "oak-like" characteristic. This specific flavor usually will echo the wood/smoky flavors in most smoked foods.

I tend to cook/smoke a complete meal on the grill when I'm in the mood to barbeque. In order to highlight the many styles of smoking techniques and different smoking mediums I integrated a few different techniques in this one menu. If you are interested in delving deeper into the intricacies of smoking I have found this great website at www.homebbq.com/duportal/services/smoking.asp

Menu:

Pecan Smoked Pork Chops with Thyme Smoked Roasted Potatoes and Garlic and Onion Skin Short Smoked Corn on the Cob.

Wine Pairing:

Chateau Roland La Garde. Premiéres Côtes de Blaye, 2000

Grilled Fruit Kabobs with Chocolate Sauce

Wine Pairing :

Smith Woodhouse Lodge Reserve Vintage Character Port, Oporto, Portugal, NV

Smoking Medium: There are many methods to smoking, but I prefer the following method because I use a gas grill to do my smoking/grilling instead of a "smoker" or a pit. The different sizes of wood used allows for a continual and even smoking. Obviously the smaller chips will burn/smoke quickly and the larger chucks will start burning/smoking after the chips have burned away.

3 chunks Pecan Wood (Soaked for 2 hours)

2 handfuls of chipped Pecan Wood (Soaked for 2 hours)

Tin Foil to wrap the wood

• Wrap both the chips and chunks in heavy tin foil

• Pierce the top of the wrap with a fork in multiple areas.

• Do not place over the fire until you are ready to cook.

[Abra]

Thanks for this helpful little treatise, Darrell. I like the type distinctions you're making, and will think about this the next time I'm grilling/smoking. I do a lot of both in the summer, and drink a lot of wine as well, and it's always interesting to do the pairings.

I almost always grill and smoke with wood logs, usually cherry, which does very well with the richer roses. Also, some of the very spicy stuff does better with an off-dry white than a spicy red like Zin, to my palate.

[Darrell Gibson]

Without changing the topic into regional distinctions of BBQ and grilling. I find that alot of people tend to misunderstand the diiferences between grilling, smoking and barbecuing. This is why I started highlighting the styles of preperation.

Roses and off dry whites without question has its place in summertime gastronomy - I just personally find that the flavor profiles and nuances of these types of wines tend to get lost when paired with heavily smoked items.

Not to say this is a poor pairing - it would work fine. I just find that lighter whites get lost in the hazy palate filling flavor of smoke.

[lancastermike]

Thanks for the wine tips. I also smoke alot of meat, mostly pork. And I too enjoy wine.

However, I find the best beverage match for smoked items include barley malt and hops, not grapes.

[DTBarton]

I also have good luck pairing Beaujolais and Spanish reds with grilled and BBQed foods.

Agree with Darrell's asessments, too. Then again, a cold beer's not too bad either. Or a nice cold Maker's Mark and water pre meal and some good iced tea with the Q!

Enjoy the summer stuff, 'twill be cold again too soon.

[Abra]

I'm sure you'll enjoy the Behold My Butt thread. Those of us who do a lot of smoking, grilling, and barbecue tend to hang out there.

As to wine and flavor profiles, there's a reason we say chacun a son gout!