Zinfandel Adds Zest to Classic Barbecue Fare
By Metro Creative Services
When you think about warm-weather fare, it's all about the outdoors -- whether weekend patio parties or Fourth of July and Labor Day get-togethers -- and barbecue.
Barbecue has become one of the most important American food traditions, from the millions of families who enjoy the chance to cook up some outdoor fun, to the thousands of "grillmasters" who go to hundreds of barbecue contests held across the country, and even to the nation's capital, where the president entertains heads of state with barbecue.
1 tablespoon butter
1^2 cup minced onions
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1^4 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup tomato ketchup
1 cup red Zinfandel wine
In a medium saucepan, sauté onions in melted butter until soft, about 10 minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients, and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 30 minutes. Generously brush or spoon sauce over meat during barbecue cooking. You can also serve warmed sauce with finished meat at the table. Makes 2 cups of Zinfandel sauce.
The modern word "barbecue" seems to have several origins. Some believe it's derived from the French barbe-a-que, which means "from snout to tail" and refers to the practice of cooking a whole pig over an open flame, while others are convinced that it originated from the Spanish word barbacoa, meaning "a framework of sticks set on posts."
Today's American cooks define true barbecue as an outdoor festival where the main course consists of beef or pork roasted slowly on a spit over a pit fire. This interpretation comes from cowboy days on Western cattle drives. In this day and age, few can do the whole hot pit bit, but for suburban backyards or city terraces, we have a smaller but still delicious version of barbecue more correctly called grilling.
Such a distinct food tradition as barbecue can leave some cooks a bit confused when it comes to choosing a wine that can match its big, bold flavor. Zinfandel is primarily grown in California and is often called America's heritage grape. A rich, full-flavored, affordable red like Rancho Zabaco's Sonoma Heritage Vines can easily go head-to-head with barbecue's spicy taste.
Finally, you need a great sauce to kick up the taste. There are many barbecue sauce recipes, ranging from sedate to searing. This "Red Zinfandel Sauce" fits nicely in between. Flavored with a rich and fruity Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel, it's the perfect accent for your next barbecue meal.