Beef Recipes

Photo by Photo by James Carrier, Sunset

Beef is the richest of red meats. Marbled and flavorful, it is the ultimate foil for your richest red wines. When pairing wines, you want to match the intensity of your dish with the intensity of the wine and contrast the complexity of flavor of the beef with either simple or complex flavors of wine. Put more simply, the relatively delicate flavors of a filet mignon are best paired with the complex flavors of a delicate red wine, while the assertive flavors of a grilled rib eye are best paired with a powerful if less complex red.

There are many ways to prepare beef and a myriad of flavorings used in those preparations. This seems like it would make beef harder to pair with wine, but nothing could be further from the truth. Unlike with other meats, the flavor of beef tends to remain the dominant flavor in most beef dishes, so you will almost always be pairing your wine with the flavor of your cut of beef.

That makes the cut of beef you’re cooking one of the main things to consider when selecting the appropriate wine pairing. As mentioned earlier, you want to choose a different wine for a filet mignon or a rib eye steak. For less fatty and more delicate cuts, elegant red wines like aged Bordeaux, Rioja Gran Reserva and Chianti Classico Riserva are ideal partners. They are relatively low in tannin compared to many other wines. Tannin is one of the important counterpoints to fat in a dish, the other being acidity. The less fat a cut of beef has, the fewer tannins you need to help the acidity in creating a harmonious match. Another factor in favor of these aged wines are the relatively delicate and simple flavors of a filet. Pairing those flavors with the complex flavors of aged wines allows the wine to show all the nuance it possesses. More assertive flavors might cover up that nuance.

On the other hand, cuts of beef like rib eye are rich in fat and complex flavors of well exercised muscles. In this case, you want to choose an intensely flavored wine that serves as a counterpoint to the intense flavors of the beef. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere all work very well here as they are rich in the tannin and acidity that is so important when dealing with fattier cuts of beef and match the intensity of flavor.

There are many cuts of beef that fall somewhere in the middle of the beef flavor and fat spectrum, so there is a beef dish that is suitable for virtually every wine out there. Experiment with your favorites while remembering the basic concepts of food and wine pairing to discover your ideal matches.

Grilled Beef Recipes

Grilling is one cooking method that has the greatest impact on the final dish’s flavor profile and therefore the greatest impact on the wines that can be paired successfully. Grilling adds smoky flavors and bitter, charred notes to a cut of meat. These elements of flavor call for something sweet and fruity to help balance out the bitterness. The sweetness doesn’t have to come from sugar, it can come simply from intense fruitiness, but a litt... Read More about Grilled Beef pairings »

Roast Beef Recipes

The one dish that pops to mind when I think of roast beef is prime rib. It is interesting how different the flavors of a slow-roasted prime rib are from those of a grilled rib eye steak. Roasting meat tends to concentrate the flavors of meat while allowing for a gradual and even distribution of fat. The results are silky textures and intense beef flavors. Whether with a prime rib eye of round or rump roast, the common theme of soft t... Read More about Roast Beef pairings »

Pan Seared Beef Recipes

Pan searing of beef is generally used on thinner, more tender cuts of meat. Those cuts tend to be leaner, more delicately flavored and more tender than other cuts of beef. Cuts include filet mignon, strip steak and flat iron steak. Pan searing is a quick cooking process that doesn’t allow for much breaking down of meat or melting of marbling. Because of the way searing works, it’s often used to produce a steak that is relatively rare yet ... Read More about Pan Seared Beef pairings »

Comments

154660zinfandel1 Loving it. This article is hitting home.
1041141Tiakittie Great Article! Some really great pairig tips here! But, no offence, Beef is by far the easiest meat for pairing!!! Can you do one of these articles for foods like chicken, turkey, pork and lamb?? Thanks!!

All Beef Recipes

1-Dish Taco Bake
1. Brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning and mix well. 2. Mix batter ingredients together in a pre-sprayed 9-1/2-inch deep dish pie plat...
30-Minute Filet Bourguignonne with Mashed Potatoes
1. Place potato in a saucepan over high heat; cover with cool water. Bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Return potato to...
5 Bean Chili
1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef with the onions. Be sure to break up clumps as much as possible. Put the mixture in a slow...
6 Hour Tri-tip Marinade
1. To make the marinade, mix all of the ingredients except for the beef in a large mixing bowl. Place the trimmed tri-tips in a plastic container a...
Abuelita's Ropa Vieja
Season brisket with 2 teaspoons Knorr® Beef flavor Bouillon. Heat oil in 6-quart saucepot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown brisket. Re...
All American Chili
1. Cook ground beef and onion in large skillet on medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Drain fat, if needed. 2. St...
All-Day Meatballs
1. In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Crumble beef over the mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place in a slow cooker. In a ...
All-In-One Spaghetti
Cook first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain well. Return beef mixture to pan. Stir in tomat...
Almost Meatless Sloppy Joes
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and beef to pan; cook 5 minutes or until meat is...
American Lasagna
1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef, onion and garlic; drain fat. Mix in basil, oregano, brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, diced t...
Ancho, Beef, and Kidney Bean Chili
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 8 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Add cumin,...
Ancho Chile-Beef Fajitas with Mango
1. Combine lime juice, chile powder, Worcestershire, and cumin in a medium bowl. Add beef; toss well. 2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over ...
Anchovy and Herb Marinade
Whisk all ingredients together. Put beef in a nonreactive baking dish and pour marinade over, turning to coat.
Andie's Stuffed Mushrooms
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). 2. Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Dr...
Anthony Simpson
Apricot and Lamb Tagine
To prepare tagine, combine the first 15 ingredients in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Discard cinnamon sticks. Place 1...
Arancini di Riso Recipe
1. Cook rice according to package directions. Cool slightly. Stir in the egg yolk, cheese and butter. Cover and refrigerate until cooled. 2. Meanw...
Arroz Rojo with Beef
1 Cook the beef, onion and pepper in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned, stirring often to separate the meat. P...
Artichoke Beef Stew Recipe | Taste of Home Recipes
1. In a shallow bowl or large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add beef and toss to coat. In a skillet, brown beef in oi...
Asian Beef and Noodle-Filled Lettuce Cups
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain. 2. Heat a large nonstick skillet ove...