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Perfect Pairings: How to pick the best wine for your beef
Heather Travis-Beef Information Centre
Entertaining can be stressful. Standing in front of row upon row of neatly stacked wines, eyes getting wider and wider with the vast selection you can feel the pressure mounting inside, “what if this one doesn’t go with my beef dish?”
“Beef is really the best excuse to have a great red wine,” said Nick Keukenmeester, private client specialist with Lifford Wine Agency. “Whether your roast it with a fine Bordeaux or grill it with your favourite Napa Cabernet, the options with Canadian beef are really endless.”
The first step is to choose the right dish for your party, whether it’s a party of two or twenty. “Start with your budget in mind,” says Joyce Parslow, a home economist with the Beef Information Centre (BIC). “There are cuts of Canadian beef to suit every budget and meal occasion. Some of the most economical cuts can actually be some of the most tender cuts when marinated.”
The Beef Information Centre website has a listing of each cut of Canadian beef, video cooking instructions to match and hundreds of tried and proven recipes sure to please your dinner guests. “After all, beef is Canada’s number one protein!” exclaims Parslow. Once you have made your recipe selection, follow these simple tips to make your perfect pairings any time of year.
“Beef stews are the best bet when tackling a spicier red like French Rhones, Australian Shiraz or even an Argentine Malbec,” says Nick Keukenmeester. “Elegant beef sashimi or a beef stir-fry with their more intricate and delicate flavours will be a perfect accompaniment to Pinot Noirs from Niagara to Burgundy.” A roast of beef, so simple to prepare and perfect for entertaining a crowd, goes well with a Cabernet or a Merlot he says, no matter where the grapes are grown. “Easy to cook, easy to pair, a roast of beef is wonderful dinner option.”
“We are starting to witness a roasting revival,” says Parslow. “More and more Canadians are discovering what our grandmothers knew, just how simple a beef roast can be. As a bonus, if you look at cost per serving, a roast is a very economical choice.” Roasts can be prepared in the oven or on the barbecue, saving precious oven space for hors d’oeuvres and other dishes, with the added bonus of less clean-up.
Visit beefinfo.org to find one half of your perfect pair and be(ef) inspired! “It doesn’t matter where that great red comes from, or which grape it is made from, there is a delicious Canadian beef dish to match it,” says Keukenmeester.
For great recipes, video cooking lessons and much more visit www.beefinfo.org