Whisky Tasting And Summer BBQ Ideas: 5 Easy Food Pairings For Home Hosts
A summer barbecue, held during the evenings in an outdoor setting, can be a good hosting idea for those looking to organise gatherings. If a host wants to set up a whisky tasting with summer barbecue dishes, the event can be quite a success, flavour-wise, for several reasons. Firstly, whisky and barbecued foods share common flavour compounds like caramel, vanilla, and smoke during grilling and whisky’s ageing in charred oak barrels.
Secondly, the alcohol in whisky cuts through the richness of fatty barbecue meats and amplifying savoury flavours. Peated and smoky whiskies amplify the charred, smoky notes from grilled foods, creating a harmonious pairing. Thirdly, barbecue glazes and sauces often have sweet elements like honey or molasses that contrast with whisky’s spicy or oaky undertones, balancing both flavours. And finally, whisky’s acidity balances the fatty, umami-rich barbecue.
Here are some carefully curated whisky varieties and BBQ dishes that should be on your summer barbecue menu.
Lamb Seekh Kebab & Bourbon or Sherry Cask Whisky
Lamb seekh kebab is a spicey, aromatic, rich dish with a charred note. The spices needed to make the dish are cumin, coriander, garam masala, and chillies. Lamb seekh kebab can pair well with bourbon or sherry cask whisky.
Bourbon whisky has oaky, vanilla and caramel flavour. At the same time, sherry cask whisky has a dried fruit and nutty flavour. The sweetness of vanilla of bourbon whisky balances the fiery taste of the kebab. The charred lamb fat is harmonised with the oak flavour, and the caramelly note complements the earthy coriander and cumin spices.
Alternatively, sherry cask whisky’s nutty flavour complements the kebab’s smokiness, the sweetness balances the spicy and fiery nature of kebabs, and the juiciness of the lamb kebab is enhanced by the mouthful of sherry cask whisky. So, to have a contrasting yet balanced bourbon cask whisky is good. Sherry cask is a good option for richness.
Tandoori Chicken Sizzling Platter & Peated Scotch Whisky
A tandoori chicken sizzling platter is a dish served on a hot cast iron sizzler plate along with some caramelised onions and bell peppers. The yoghurt-marinated and charred goodness of tandoori chicken complements smoky and slightly spicy peated scotch whisky. Any peated scotch whisky is created from drying of malted barley over peat fires. Peat occurs in marshy areas and bogs. The compounds released by the peat fires are used to dry the malted barley. The mild heat, along with the tanginess of the chicken, is balanced by the whisky’s peat, iodine, and smoky notes.
Mango Chilli Tandoori Prawns & Japanese Whisky
The burnt and savoury flavour of mango chilli tandoori prawns matches the umami-rich, subtly sweet and smooth Japanese whisky, which is made up of only grain. The charred flavour of the seafood is perfectly expressed as the whisky complements it properly. The fruity flavour of the whisky pairs well with the sweet and tangy mango taste of the dish. The smoothness of the whisky supplements the tanginess of the dish created by yoghurt and lemon juice.
Chicken Malai Tikka With Pasta & Irish Whisky
Chicken malai tikka is a creamy, spicy, rich dish with spices like cardamom, cashew paste, cheese, garlic, cream, etc. Chicken malai tikka can be added with soft-textured cheesy and creamy pasta creating a unique fusion. The taste of Irish whisky is smooth and slightly sweet, with some vanilla and citrusy note. The Irish whisky is light, triple distilled and less smoky, unlike the scotch whisky. The vanilla smoothness of the whisky and the creaminess of the chicken malai tikka with pasta. The dairy of chicken malai tikka contains umami and fat. The Irish whisky can cut through the fat.
Crunchy Korean Chicken Wings with Single Malt
Crunchy Korean chicken wings is a spicy dish rich in umami (sweet, sour, salty and bitter). It is cooked with spices like black pepper, garlic powder, etc. The spicy flavour of this dish can pair well with any single malt whisky that can cut through the taste while perfecting the flavours. If a single malt whisky is smoky (made in Islay) or fruity (Highland/Speyside), it can complement the spices well. The crunchy wings enhance the smooth mouthfeel of the whisky.
Using whisky in the marinade can create a BBQ taste even better than any other individual marinates. The general rule for a good pairing of whisky and BBQ is to pair fruity-flavoured whisky with lighter dishes, peated whisky with dishes that are spicy. The mount of whisky in these marinades should never exceed 5-10 ml, or the spirit can mask other ingredients of the marinade.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
