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Homemade Barbecue Sauce â?? How To Make Your Own Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:42:57 +0000

The time to start thinking about cooking BBQ is in the Spring and Summer time, with the warm days ahead and fun social gatherings with your friends and family, there is no better time to turn your attention to making these occasions special by learning how to cook something new.Creating your own homemade barbecue sauce is straightforward once you have mastered the basics and learned how to combine various kitchen ingredients to make your own favourite sauce.No doubt you, or members in your family had their own favourite homemade barbecue sauces that they grew up with, well now is your chance to get involved and enjoy learning something new, how to make your own, personal favourite, homemade barbecue sauce.Here are the basic components of a homemade barbecue sauce. The barbecue sauce baseRegardless of what type of barbecue sauce you are going to make, you will need a “base” before you can begin. Ideal bases for making a good BBQ sauce are favourites such as number 10 ketchup sauce, honey, mustard, brown sauce and fruit purÃ©e sauce bases.Consistency of the homemade sauce base is one of the main things that you should be looking at when considering making your own BBQ sauce. You want to avoid the base from being too runny or too thick, and this is one of the reasons why using a suitable ketchup is a great place to start experimenting because it gives you a little less to think about initially and will allow you to let your creative juices flow as you consider and use the ingredients that will make up your sauce.The #10 ketchup is one of the most popular sauce bases to use as it has the ideal consistency and acidity that complements BBQ food by giving a clean edge, or zing, to the flavour. Many pre-bought sauces will not match up to your own personal favourite once you have developed your very own homemade barbecue sauce.If you were considering making something that had a fruitier flavour, you can use a pre-made fruit sauce and use that as your base for a slightly sweeter and fruitier flavour and adjust it to your taste, using other ingredients. Alternatively, you could use a small quantity of ketchup base and then sweat down fruit and create your own fruit purÃ©e to add to your sauce.AcidityAcidity is very important in a homemade barbecue sauce as its presence provides a clean-tasting zing that prepares and excites the taste buds. Controlling this acidity is important and a matter of personal preference, and experimentation with fruit-infused vinegars, such as cider, apple and raspberry all offer unique and distinct flavours that complement any homemade barbecue sauce.You can make your own fruit-infused vinegars very easily by purchasing a good quality white wine vinegar, adding some to a sterilised bottle along with raw fruits of choice, seal, and allow to soak slowly, in a cool and dark place for 1 or 2 months. Once the fruit has had enough time to break down in the vinegar, you find that it has taken on a pleasant fruity tang and can be used in not only your homemade barbecue sauce, but also in a salad dressing along with a little olive oil. Remember that a little goes a long way.Other ingredients that will complement your homemade barbecue sauce base, are seasoning’s and vegetables that will add a distinctness to it and separate it from the typical, off-the-shelf variety.Worcestershire sauce for example, adds a low-down meaty flavour and is similar in colour to soy sauce, though it tastes nothing like soy sauce at all. Widely used, Worcestershire sauce has a slightly spicy tang to it as well as a dark colour that will deepen the colour of the sauce that you are making.Other great ingredients are Tabasco sauce for example that adds a mildly hot, fruity pepper flavour and is excellent as a component for sauces that are going to be used on chicken, baby back ribs and chicken wings. If you want to try a slightly milder alternative to Tabasco, Cholula hot sauce is similar in flavour, though slightly less piquant to its hotter counterpart.For a full and more rounded flavour you can add sauces similar to Texas Pete’s hot sauce, which has a fairly thick ketchup-like consistency and adds a broad and mild mix of spices. Once again, there are many alternatives to thick sauces that you can add to your homemade barbecue sauce, and it is worthwhile experimenting with them in very small batches and pick out the flavours that excite your taste-buds the most. Read the labels, pick out the flavours and aromas that appeal to you and then note them down for future use.Seasoning’sNow that you have the base of your homemade barbecue sauce well under way, you can take a look at the spices, salt, pepper and sugar that will be used in relatively small quantities to give your BBQ sauce its own distinct flavour.If you haven’t used a particular seasoning before, start off by using small quantities to avoid over-powering your first homemade barbecue sauce.Cinnamon for example is a particularly strong bark-like spice that is also available in ground form. Use it like salt, by adding a little at a time until you get the balance right with the other flavours. Use too much and you will find that just like salt, the cinnamon will almost certainly overpower everything else you have in your sauce. Unless you particularly like cinnamon, use it very sparingly.Here is a short list of seasoning’s that you can use in your homemade barbecue sauce to give you some ideas.Spices such as cayenne, Jamaican jerk seasoning, red pepper flakes (in moderation), clove, cinnamon, ground ginger, coriander, garlic, mango powder, mustard, paprika, cumin, oregano, and parsley are all excellent choices.Whole seeded chilli peppers such as Chipotle adds a dark and smoky flavour, Habanero and Scotch Bonnet peppers add a lot of heat along with a delicious fruit flavour, red bell peppers for great fruitiness but little heat, Serrano and similar long carrot-shaped chillies also offer a nice fruit flavour along with a mild-heat.SweetnessTo add sweetness if necessary to your homemade barbecue sauce, you can use sugars and sweeteners that suit your personal preference. Palm sugar has a unique and distinct flavour that has an Eastern influence, cane sugar, molasses and dark brown sugar are also widely used. You can use any sugars that you prefer, though darker sugars generally have more flavour and are more suitable for use in a BBQ sauce. More exotic sweeteners such as passion fruit and guava syrups can also be used to good effect, along with regular honey and golden syrup.If your homemade barbecue sauce is going to be used to baste your meats and poultry during cooking over a hot grill, remember that the high sugar content can burn easily and it will invariably result in blackened food. Take this into account when cooking your food and adjust your technique accordingly. Using the â??low-and-slowâ? method of cooking is the perfect way to cook food that is coated in a high sugar content BBQ sauce.SaltSalt is a very important part of cooking, seasoning any food improves the flavour and when used in BBQ sauces, it is used in the same manner, to add flavour and also balance the sweetness and acidity. Use salt sparingly during the last 15 minutes of reduction time to adjust the taste to your liking by allowing the salt to cook through the sauce slowly, while stirring continuously. Taste a small amount of the sauce, not forgetting to allow it to cool first beforehand, and determine whether you have reached the right balance.It all comes down to a matter of personal preference that is based on our upbringing and regional influences. Use the ingredients and flavours that talk to your taste buds, experiment and make it your own unique homemade barbecue sauce.ThickenersTo prevent yourself from making the most common mistake when creating your first homemade barbecue sauce, avoid the addition of sauce thickeners such as corn starch, gelatine, flour, butter and cream as these will impair the flavour and potentially ruin your BBQ sauce. Thickeners are not required as your homemade barbecue sauce will be thickened naturally by the evaporation of liquids, and reduced gently on a relatively low heat in a saucepan until the ideal consistency is achieved.Making your homemade barbecue sauceThis section is not designed to be a particular recipe, just some basic guidelines in the preparation of your homemade barbecue sauce.To start with you will need a pan large enough to hold all of your ingredients with some room to spare to allow the BBQ sauce to bubble gently without overflowing onto your cooker, and now add the following ingredients;500ml of #10 ketchup50ml cider vinegar1 large onion coarsely chopped2 large garlic gloves, finely chopped1 thumb sized piece of ginger, finely sliced1 tsp Tabasco sauce1 tbls passion-fruit syrup1 tsp coriander powder1 tsp cumin powder2 finely chopped seeded hot red chillies1 tbls brown sugarSalt to tasteOnce you have all of the ingredients in the pan, stir until thoroughly combined and raise the temperature of the pan until it achieves a boil, then immediately reduce the heat so that the mixture is just simmering very gently around the edges of the pan.Do not cover the pan and stir occasionally with a plastic or wooden spoon, checking for any sauce that may have start to stick to the bottom of the pan. If the sauce begins to stick, reduce the heat a little, stir, and check again in a few minutes. Refrain from adding water during cooking as this will only serve to prolong the reduction process. The reduction process can take up to 4 hours depending on your ingredients and desired sauce consistency. Allow plenty of time for making your homemade barbecue sauce prior to use, preferably allowing 24 hours for the sauce to cool properly and allow the ingredients to finally combine and stabilise the flavours before use.Your BBQ sauce can be prepared and refrigerated ahead of use using a sterilised jar or suitable air-tight jar making it ideal for continued use if you are going to have several barbecues during the week. Your homemade barbecue sauce will be at its best for up to a week if stored in the refrigerator.

We hope you enjoyed this homemade barbecue sauce guide. If you are looking for more BBQ ideas, tips and recipes, view our large selection of tempting BBQ recipes and resources to make your next barbecue a day to remember.
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Two Great BBQ Sauce Recipes

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:05:30 +0000

“The” Barbecue Sauce This barbecue sauce is often referred to as a basting sauce, are vinegar or other based liquids that are applied to meats during the slow cooking process of traditional bbq, to keep the meats moist and add flavor. Mop sauce gets it’s name from the tool that looks like a small kitchen mop used to apply the sauce. Most competitive bbq teams swear by their mops almost as much as they do their dry rubs.

Mop sauce protects the moisture level of your meat, mops will usually contain a vinegar or other liquid to replace some of the fat that is lost during the cooking process. It is all about maintaining moisture as well as adding great flavor. Below are sauce bases that you can use to develop your own mop sauce. Texas Mop Barbecue Sauce 2 cans (12 ounces) light beer 6 ounces yellow mustard 8 ounces Worcestershire sauce 12 ounces hickory flavored barbecue sauce 4 ounces honey 4 ounces wine vinegar 1 white onion chopped 2 lemons, sliced Pinch hot chile flakes Combine all the above ingredients in a pan and cook at medium heat for 30 minutes. Mop sauce on meat every few minutes during cooking.Georgian Style Barbecue Sauce 1 1/2 cups beer or water 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 yellow onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups tomato puree 1/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Warm the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, mustard, orange juice, ketchup, brown sugar, add the Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook until thick it should take about 15 minutes.

I hope you enjoyed my article on the regional differences of BBQ food in the United States. If you are looking for reviews, ideas, recipes, guides and how-tos for everything BBQ, then please visit Barbecue Partys Blog, there is a wealth of great information there.
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Weber Style 6445 Professional-Grade Stainless-Steel 3-Piece Barbeque Tool Set

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:21:07 +0000

Amazon.com

A useful addition to any outdoor grill, this three-piece barbecue tool set makes it easy to move things around on the grill. Flip burgers with the 18-inch spatula, pick up shish kabobs with the lockable chef’s tongs, or use the 18-inch two-prong fork to lift off a juicy steak. The spatula offers a slotted design for easy grease run-off, while long handles on all the tools help keep hands a safe distance from the heat. In addition, hanging loops on the end of each hand (more…)

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What type of BBQ sauce is the right one for you?

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:20:04 +0000

All sauces have their own unique twang and can come in many different varieties. Often times it is also a god choice to do some sauce mixing of your own every once in a while. Barbecue sauce can have any number of different things in it, here is generally ketchup, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, onion, and mustard or mustard powder as a base. Some barbecue sauce creators smoke their sauces or cook them in large covered barbecues for a specific amount of time. Also the type of coals, burquettes, or propane used can be unique to the bbq sauce. This is a minute detail, but those who are loyal to one method swear by it and say that the other ways make a difference in the flavor of the meat. Some barbecue sauces are made specially for one method or another. Another aspect to keep in mind is the type of cooking methods you will be using for your sauce. Some people prefer to use their sauce as a marinade while other prefer to use it as a sauce they put on after they cook the meat. There are specific sauces for either method, and good ones in that! If you choose to marinade the meat try not to get a sauce with too much sugar because this can caramelize or burn easily on the grill. Assuming you will be grilling the meat. Some people use barbecue sauce in their everyday cooking methods, if this is so a gourmet sauce would be most adequate. There are many different types of unique BBQ sauces, the most important aspect is of choosing the correct type is to decide what flavor suits you personally best. After this is done you can determine what you will be using the sauce for and what kind of this specific flavor will best suit your cooking trends. BBQ sauces can be purchased at grocery stores, but some of the best sauces can be found online, where they are shipped from a unique little factory, in which all they do is make that specific sauce. This is an advantage because it is a specialty, where as grocery store sauce producers also make many other products.

TLC BBQ Pitmaster Harry Soo â?? Slap Yoâ?? Daddy

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:54:45 +0000

Who are “Slap Yo’ Daddy”?The two-man team is made up of Head Cook Harry (member KCBS, IBCA, and CBBQA, and certified KCBS BBQ judge) and Assistant Cook Mark.Â By day, Harry and Mark work at information technology jobs in a Dilbertesque existence.Â On weekends, they love to cook and hang out with friends and familyHow did Slap Yo’ Daddy get started?Their entry into the competitive circuit was purely by chance.Â Harry had been fascinated by BBQ contests on Food TV and his co-worker Janice had asked him to help out with the annual fund raiser for the African American Association at work. So for the past several years, Janice helped Harry serve BBQ brisket to several dozen co-workers, many of whom were African American with roots in the South.Nothing happened until early 2008 when the movie The Bucket List starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman was released.Â Harry’s co-worker Teri suggested that they prepare a bucket list of wish things to do before “kicking the bucket.” Â The caveat being that, in addition to your own list, your fellow co-workers could add “stretch” goals for you with activities that would be a challenge given your particular personality.Â Two of Harry’s stretch goals were 1) compete in a BBQ contest and 2) attend a comedy class and do a stand-up act. Â Harry began competing in BBQ contests in March 2008 and substituted #2 in February 2008 by being a backup dancer for Janice during their company’s Idol contest and winning first place.Harry Soo explains competetive BBQ”In competition BBQ, the meat is cooked low and slow around 225 degrees for up to 12 hours and submitted for blind judging in 9″ X 9″ white Styrofoam containers.Â Four meats are turned in by each team: chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket.Â BBQ contests have to be sanctioned before points are counted towards the California Team of the Year (TOY) or Rookie Team of the Year (ROY) awards.Â The two major sanctioning bodies are the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) or International Barbeque Cookers Association (IBCA)”.Â Â ”A sanctioning body is like the PGA for golf.Â KCBS is the larger body based out of Kansas City and turn-in trays typically have lettuce and parsley as decorations (see banner photos).Â Turn in for chicken is at noon and the other three meats follow after each half-hour (KCBS Rules).Â The IBCA, of Texas origin, favors turn in trays with just the meat on foil (aka Texas lettuce; see banner photos) and turn ins are done every hour starting at noon for chicken and ending at 3 pm for brisket (IBCA Rules)”.Â Â Â Â Â Harry Soo – Slap Yo’ Daddy Grilling Tips1. BBQ is ready when it’s ready (so don’t hurry)2. Less is more (less smoke, less rub, less add-ons)3. Opening your smoker is BAD!4. Too tender is GOOD!5. Foiling is GOOD!6. Grilling is NOT barbequing; BBQ is low-and-slow7. Always have FUN when you BBQ even if results are otherwise!

I hope you enjoyed reading about the award winning BBQ guru, Harry Soo. If you would like more barbecue ideas for your next BBQ, head over to Barbecue Party for hundreds of varied and delicious barbecue recipes. You may like to read more about Harry Soo and find out about other BBQ Pitmasters. Don’t forget to visit Barbecue Party’s blog, they have a wealth of BBQ guides, recipes, how-to’s, hints, tips and reviews, with a blog that is updated daily, so don’t forget to subscribe to their feed.
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Culinary Spotlight: American BBQ

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:59:04 +0000

Pork or beef? In barbeque circles this is the most important question there is, especially for Texas chefs. Texans like their beef for sure, but there is much more to American BBQ than brisket and beef ribs. Some brave Austin chefs have even begun to put pork ribs and shoulder on their menus. While that may be akin to treason deep in the heart of Texas, it is common territory for barbeque cooks around the country.

Let’s take a look at some regional variations of American BBQ and find out whether you prefer pork or beef … or both.

Carolina Barbeque There are more variations in Carolina barbeque than any of the other barbeque styles. They breakdown according to cuts of meat (ribs, shoulder, whole hog) to the sauces used (vinegar or mustard based). One thing they agree on, however, is the use of pork. It is king in all of Carolina barbecue.

Memphis Barbeque Memphis barbeque is also primarily pork based, but it sticks with ribs. The biggest difference, however, is the lack of finishing sauces. When you order Memphis-style ribs they’ll come to your plate dry with a generous coating of spice rub. Sauces are served on the side, if you want them.

Kansas City Barbeque Many consider Kansas City to be the capital of American BBQ, mostly because of the well-known Kansas City-style barbeque sauce. It is the famous thick, sweet, and spicy tomato-based sauce you’ll find on your grocer’s shelves. Because of its central geography Kansas City serves both pork and beef barbeque.

Texas Barbeque While you may see a few Texas chefs – especially those in Eastern Texas near the Louisiana border – reaching out to their southern neighbors and putting pork ribs and shoulder on the menu, beef is still king in Texas. Steaks, brisket, and beef ribs can be found on all barbeque restaurant menus. Thanks to a wave of German and Czech settlers in the late 1800s, Texas is also well known for smoked sausages. They use leftover cuts of beef and pork from family-owned meat markets to make their own signature sausages.

If you are looking for an Austin chef job, then you should try to add barbeque cooking to your bag of tricks. It is a signature American cooking style full of both flavor and tradition.

This article is presented by The Texas Culinary Academy. The Texas Culinary Academy offers Le Cordon Bleu culinary education classes and culinary training programs in Austin, Texas. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit http://www.Chefs.edu/Austin for more information.

The jobs mentioned are examples of certain potential jobs, not a representation that these outcomes are more probable than others. The Texas Culinary Academy does not guarantee employment or salary.

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Have a Wonderful Bbq Party

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:21:21 +0000

Barbeques are popular for events such as the 4th of July, birthday parties, receptions, and going away parties. No matter why you have decided to plan a barbeque party, the memories that will come from it are sure to stick with your guests for many years to come, provided that you plan ahead. Planning the perfect BBQ party is not difficult, as long as you follow a few simple steps. 1) First, no barbeque would be complete without guests. Plan ahead of time, checking with your potential guest for scheduling conflicts and issues. Finding a date and time that is suitable for everyone should not be to far as long as you everyone enough advanced notice. Remember that not everyone will be able to come, no matter how much notice you give them, so do not get discouraged if you do not get as many RSVPs as your originally hoped for. 2) Be sure to check the weather for that type of year. If you live in a climate that cannot be predicted, then you may want to have a backup plan just incase unusual weather comes. You cannot predict things like rain and thunderstorms ahead of time, but you can make sure that you hold you barbeque during the time of year that will be pleasant to your guests. A barbeque in cold weather may hold more negative memories of trying to keep warm rather then good memories of family and friends. 3) Purchase the type of meat that you will be serving at your party. You will want to have a least a couple of different kinds of meats, as everyone attending may not like a certain kind. It is usually safe to go with pork, sausage, hamburgers, and chicken. If smaller children are going to be in attendance, you should consider child friendly foods such as smaller hamburgers and hot dogs. 4) Once you have the meat purchased, you will then want to consider what type of sides dished you will serve. If you want a completely tradition barbeque, you may want to stick with traditions sides. Traditional barbeque sides include potatoes, potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw. Your traditional condiment bar should include pickles, relish, and onions. These foods are typically severed at barbeques because they are easy to prepare and store until the event happens. You may want to cook other items, but any barbeque is complete with just the items listed above. Once again, if children will be present, you may want to consider sides for them as well. The simplest approach to side dishes is chips and dip. Chips and dip do not require any cooking on your part, and will still be loved by the majority of your guests. 5) Depending on the theme of your party, you may or may not want to purchase decorations. Festive decorations can be found at any local party or general store. You may also consider purchasing decorations that can be stored and reused at a different time, such as reusable tablecloths and Tiki torches. 6) The day before you party, you will want to make sure to thaw, prepare, and marinate the meat you will be cooking. Store the meat stored away, soaking up the marinate until it is time for it to go on the grill. Prepare any side dishes that you can ahead of time. 7) The day of the party, get up early and start preparing for it. You do not want your guest arriving while you are still cooking or hanging decorations. It should only take you a few hours at most to prepare the area in which you will be having the party, but the reactions from your guest will probably seem as if you have been planning this for weeks. Try to have the grill already going by time the guests get there as well, because the smell coming from the grill is sure to get everyone in the mood.

Learn about bbq corn on the cob and barbeque tips at the How To Barbeque site.
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Creating the Best Bbq Party

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:40:16 +0000

No barbeque would be complete without guests and proper outdoors weather. Plan ahead of time, checking with your potential guest for scheduling conflicts and issues. Finding a date and time that is suitable for everyone should not be to far as long as you everyone enough advanced notice. Alternatively, be sure to check the weather for that type of year. If you live in a climate that cannot be predicted, then you may want to have a backup plan just incase unusual weather comes. You cannot predict things like rain and thunderstorms ahead of time, but you can make sure that you hold you barbeque during the time of year that will be pleasant to your guests. A barbeque in cold weather may hold more negative memories of trying to keep warm rather then good memories of family and friends. Barbequing has been around since early cavemen figured out that food tasted great after being cooked on an open fire. Perhaps one of the main memories attached to a family barbeque is what was on the menu that day. Barbequing opens a whole array of types of foods available. The type of foods you serve should largely depend on your crowd and the event in which you are celebrating. With the wide range of possibilities, you are sure to find at least a few items that will please your crowd. Make sure that you prepare ahead for your barbeque. 12 to 24 hours before you plan on beginning the party, make sure to thaw, prepare, and marinate the meat you will be cooking. Once you have the meat stored away, soaking up the marinate, then you must start thinking about what types of side dishes you will be having. If you want a completely tradition barbeque, you may want to stick with traditions sizes. Traditional barbeque sides include potatoes and potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw. Your traditional condiment bar should include pickles, relish, and onions. These foods are typically severed at barbeques because they are easy to prepare and store until the event happens. You may want to cook other items, but any barbeque is complete with just the items listed above. A themed barbeque may present more opportunities to hold a festive event. With a themed event, you can splurge on the atmosphere and decorations. Matching tablecloths, napkins, and plates can be found at any local store. You can also match your décor to the party. For example, a luau could simply be creative colored utensils, leis, and Tiki torches, all of which are extremely cheap. You can even reuse the Tiki torches later! Your party area should be set up before guest arrive. It only takes a few minutes to get everything ready, but the reaction you get from your arriving guests may make you feel like you were preparing and decorating all day. Depending on the situation, you may or may not want to have the food already cooking on the grill. The smell will surely be inviting if you start cooking ahead! Barbeque Recipe Ingredients: 5 pounds pork spareribs 1 cup water 1/3 cup butter or margarine 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup dry mustard 1/4 cup chili powder 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon paprika 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspon cayenne pepper Instructions: Place spareribs on broiler pan. Cover with foil. Roast at 400 degrees F. for 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in medium saucepan; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 30 minutes. Brush sauce on ribs. Broil 5 inches from heat for 7-10 minutes on each side. Serve ribs with additional sauce.

Visit the How To Barbeque website to learn about bbq corn on the cob and barbeque tips.
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Pair Some BBQ with a chardonnay

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:06:29 +0000

Summer is BBQ time. With Father’s Day, July 4th and summertime in general, many Americans enjoy traditional BBQ. At Naperville’s Ribfest, pork BBQ ribs are king. If you are a little “porked out,” grilled chicken and fish are a welcome change. A wine that pairs well with both of these is Chardonnay. This can be a great patio wine while enjoying backyard grilling with family and friends this summer.

Wine Facts

Chardonnay is one of the most widely planted and successful white wines in the world, and is recognized as one of nine classic grape varietals. Chardonnay grapes prefer cooler climates. Chardonnay offers appealing flavors of tropical fruit, apple and butterscotch and has a creamy, full-bodied style. Quality Chardonnay is briefly aged in oak barrels to impart a creamy richness and a long, pleasing finish. Wine makers must be careful about the length of time the wine is in contact with the wood, as an “over-oaked” wine can loose its fruit flavors and balance, and taste unpleasant.

Chardonnay’s major growing areas include California and the Pacific Northwest, Chile, Australia, France, Italy and South Africa. The major difference is the “old world” style French Chardonnay tends to be leaner, crisp with mineral and apple notes, while American Chardonnay tends to be big and oaky with vanilla and butterscotch notes. As American tastes have shown preference for a lighter style of Chardonnay, American winemakers have moved away from their reliance on oak and are using stainless steel vats, resulting in a crisper, more food friendly wine.

The Wine Spectator’s July issue reports that the 2007 vintage of California Chardonnay is outstanding, with the Northern California regions (Napa, Sonoma, Carneros) all receiving 96 out of 100 points. They described this vintage as “Ripe, complex, balanced and age worthy wines.” This is great news to share and hopefully encourages you to try some 2007 Chardonnay soon.

Food Pairing

While Chardonnay is widely planted and consumed, it is not a food friendly wine for several reasons. Chardonnay’s flavors tend to be complex, so it pairs best with simple dishes and sauces. Chardonnay tends to have a lower acidity level, which does not cleanse your palate after a sip. California Chardonnays present additional food pairing challenges, as they tend to have a toastier oak flavor and higher alcohol levels.

So why the popularity? The rich, buttery character of shellfish pairs beautifully with Chardonnay’s buttery taste (think Lobster). In general, seafood, shellfish and chicken offer a simple flavor profile that will not compete with Chardonnay’s complexities. And Chardonnay’s bold flavors can stand up to a rich sauce that might accompany your entrée.

We suggest that you consider trying both “old” and “new world” styles of Chardonnay. When charcoal grilling or smoking meat, a toasty California Chardonnay can compliment the smoky flavors of your BBQ.

An unoaked, stainless steel aged Chardonnay will pair well with light summer salads or fish and chicken dishes that are cooked on a gas grill. The wine label may specify either unoaked or unwooded Chardonnay — or ask your local wine merchant for their suggestions. It always comes down to personal taste preferences.

Directionally, Americans have moved away from heavily oaked Chardonnay and are now seeking out less oaky versions. The good news is more quality unoaked Chardonnay is now being produced worldwide.

Bill’s Wine Picks (with suggested retail prices)

Oak levels in descending order

Foxglove, Central Coast, CA. — Light oak $12

Columbia-Crest, Columbia Valley, WA. — Medium oak $8

Chateau St. Jean, Sonoma, CA. — Heavy oak $9

Un-Oaked Chardonnay

Yalumba, South Australia $9

Four Vines Naked Chardonnay, Santa Barbara, CA. $13

Elderton, Barossa, Australia $13

The Wishing Tree, Western Australia $13

Wine of the Month

Foxglove Chardonnay

The Varner Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains in California consistently offer one of the of best values in the marketplace. Robert Parker gave the 2007 vintage 90 points and described this terrific medium-bodied cuvee as offering tropical fruit, pear and mineral notes. The good news is that 25,000 cases were produced, which should make this wine readily available. This wine should be consumed within 2 years, $12.

Bill Garlough is a Level 1 Master Sommelier and an owner of My Chef Catering in Naperville, IL, the winner of the U.S. Chamber’s 2007 Small Business of the Year award. Bill can be reached at My Chef or bgarlough@mychef.com
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BBQ Tips: How to host the perfect BBQ from Giftlab.co.uk

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:20:48 +0000

Here in the UK the sun pops out from behind a cloud for five minutes and everyone’s changing into their shorts and t-shirts (while the Prof just takes all his clothes off so he’s naked under his lab coat – it isn’t a pretty sight). It’s no surprise then, that after a week of constant sunshine, BBQ season has officially begun. As you know, here at giftlab.co.uk we like to make ourselves useful so with the first whiffs of a BBQ (We smelt the first one on Mother’s Day… can anyone beat that? Comment below if you can and you might win a prize!) we were already leafing through cook books, searching the web, and trying out our own styles of cooking so that we could give you our Top Ten Tips on how to host the perfect BBQ and a range of recipes guaranteed to win over your guests. So, without further ado here’s how you can impress all your friends and family with your outdoor cooking skills:

Cooking:

Food tips: For the veggies (and veggies who eat fish!):

For the carnivores:

A nice side salad:

Sauces and Dips for the centre of the table:

Finally – Safety:

Giftlab is a UK based retailer of cool gifts and gadgets. Our motto – Give Genius Gifts!
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