The Nostalgia of Barbecue Chicken (And Wine Pairings to Go With)!
Namely new world Pinot Noir! But also lesser known varieties!
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We've had A LOT of visitors at our house lately, which truly gladdens my heart, but larger groups and varying ages always makes me scramble a bit as to what to cook! Then last summer I hit upon the winning solution that I trotted out again this past week – barbecue chicken. It’s really a universal crowd pleaser (excluding vegetarians of course). There’s just something so nostalgic here in America about sweet, tangy saucy slathered on grilled chicken. It’s uncomplicated but delicious, and chicken thighs (my preferred piece of chicken) are affordable and also delicious – a win-win!
Of course, I would not be writing this if I did not think you should cook up a batch of your own barbecue sauce. I promise it’s easy and far exceeds even the best store bought versions. (Just ask my nephew who requested the recipe after this past week!) Plus, the recipe makes a nice amount and should keep in your fridge just fine for a month or so – leaving room for even more barbecue chicken nights or perhaps inspiring you to go the extra mile and cook up some pork shoulder or brisket. But for me it's all about ease and all about those chicken thighs!
Now as far as a wine pairing, I think you gotta go American, and to me a yummy Oregon or Cali Pinot Noir is the answer. Or if you are feeling more avant garde how about a Gamay or Gamay/Pinot Noir blend like I’ve captured in the above photo (third wine from left). Mostly, I think you need a less tannic red and just something that’s easy drinking as my barbecue sauce has some various spice things going on!
Here’s a bit of info on the above lineup – some fave Oregon/Cali winemakers – all should retail between $30 and $40. Another producer with great bbq wines is Monte Rio Cellars out of California, who makes a variety of chillable reds from lesser known grapes like Mencia and Mission.
Tyler Santa Barbara Pinot Noir
Justin Tyler Willett is a native of Santa Barbara and made his first vintage of his own wine at the age of 24 – a few barrels tucked away at a winery he worked for at the time. Since then he has gained a reputation for making supremely balanced wines from many famed old vine sites. More recently he and his wife Amanda purchased land to become their estate vineyard and planted 28 acres to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. Of all the wines in this lineup, the Tyler has the most savory and old world reminiscent qualities.
There is just something about well-made, new world Pinot Noir that is the ultimate comfort wine for me. And Sonoma’s County Line ranks up there with my favorites. It tastes of cherries and spice but also mushrooms and earth. Founder Eric Sussman makes County Line as a companion project to his single vineyard Radio Coteau wines. Eric has yet to make it to Charleston, but my time visiting his quaint farm in Sebastopol about 10 years ago lives vividly in my memory. Eric is a gentle soul, and that spirit comes through in his wines. The fox picture on the label is indeed one that visits the vineyard!
Pray Tell Willamette Valley Pinot Noir/Gamay
Pray Tell is a newer producer in Oregon and one that is not just about Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Tom Caruso established Pray Tell in 2017 with a focus on producing natural wines from less typical varieties in Oregon. They are based in the Willamette Valley, but they also source fruit from the Rocks District AVA (closer to Washington). They craft wines that are clean and precise without sacrificing their dedication to sustainability or preference for making wines without any additives or adjustments, save for tiny amounts of SO2. This Pinot Noir/Gamay blend is their ode to the Burgundy blend known as passetoutgrain! While I would serve all the wines in this lineup with a slight chill I might give this one even a bit more time in the fridge. It’s fresh and fruity and both those characteristics work well with a good chill!
(Ask at your local wine shop for these wines!)
Good Ol’ Fashioned Barbecue Sauce (for barbecue chicken & such)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ cups chopped onion, about 1 onion
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
1 tablespoon minced (or microplaned) garlic, about 3 garlic cloves
2 cups of water
1 ¾ cup ketchup
¼ cup yellow mustard
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons cane syrup (or molasses)
1 cinnamon stick
Heat olive oil and butter in medium pot over medium until butter melts. Add onion, chili powder, salt, black pepper, allspice, and cayenne (optional). Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften, about 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces (thickens) and comes together for a nice sauce consistency, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove cinnamon stick before serving.
This can be made in advance and stored in the fridge, but be sure to bring to room temperature before using. I like to brush mine on the chicken thighs during the last 5 minutes of cooking (they should be skin side up at this point). That 5 minutes allows the sauce to really cook onto the thighs and reach a nice temperature.
Yield: About 1 pint (we used about half this batch for 8 chicken thighs)
(By the way, I do think this sauce could work well on grilled salmon for a non-meat option!)
P.S. For a musical pairing while cooking your sauce, how about the new Beyonce album??? I am pretty in love with that (like many other folks!!).
P.P.S. If you are just picking up the Grape to Table newsletter, thanks so much for joining to learn more about wine, food, and life. We have wrapped up my origin story (click here to read), and we are diving into fun content focused on meaningful time at the table with delicious wine and food. For now, my newsletter is free and you can find all the content by clicking here – basically a little Grape to Table website created by the great folks at Substack. And as always please hit the like button if you did indeed enjoy the content. Of course, there’s an algorithm behind substack (just like everything else in our modern world!), and more likes encourages the Substack gods to recommend my little newsletter to more folks. Go figure!