Meat and barbecues are our thing. But we also love a good glass of wine. So how can you combine the two? By cooking with wine, of course.
Read on to learn how to cook with wine at your next BBQ.
BBQ red wine sauce
If you enjoy a glass of red, but find you’ve often got leftovers at the bottom of the bottle, then making a red wine sauce for barbequing is a great way to use it up.
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 spring onions
2 minced garlic cloves
125ml of red wine
125ml of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of mustard
1 minced chipotle pepper
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots and minced garlic cloves and cook until softened.
Throw in the red wine. tomato sauce, brown sugar, mustard and minced chipotle pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes until thickened to the consistency of BBQ sauce.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Add it to chicken for a deep, rich flavour.
Steam with white wine
You might enjoy a glass of white wine with seafood, but did you know you can steam mussels, clams, or even artichokes with it? The result is a refreshingly light meal with a complex flavour.
Don’t believe us? Try our steamed clams with white wine and garlic.
1kg of clams
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup of thinly sliced shallots
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1½ cup of dry white wine
2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Sourdough or other crusty bread, sliced
A wok or cast-iron skillet
Scrub the clams and rinse them in four rounds of cold water to remove any sand and grit.
Prepare the barbecue for direct cooking over medium-high heat.
In a wok or cast-iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant and tender, about 1 minute, stirring often.
Add the wine and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the clams and cook with the lid closed, until the clams open wide. This should take 5 to 10 minutes. Remember to stir every few minutes.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the parsley, and season with pepper. Toast the bread over medium-high heat, about 1 minute, turning once. Bon appetit!
Red wine barbecue pork ribs
Finger licking barbecue pork ribs basted with a red wine sauce - does it get any better? These ribs are super easy and super delicious!
For the pork ribs:
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1.5kg of pork baby back ribs
For the red wine barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1/4 of a large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup of tomato sauce
3/4 cup of red wine
3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup of dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of chilli powder
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard (optional)
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
Transfer the ribs to a large, shallow baking sheet and rub the reserved spice/sugar mixture on both sides of the ribs with your fingers. Cover with aluminium foil and let sit for about one hour at room temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and then cook the diced onion and minced garlic for about 4-5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Do not let them brown!
Stir in all the other remaining ingredients and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat medium-low and let it cook, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes, stirring now and then. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Grill the ribs, turning to cook on all four sides and brushing them with the sauce, for 4 to 5 minutes on each side - 16 to 20 minutes total. Serve any remaining marinade as a dipping sauce. Dig in!
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