Shiraz and Lamb - The Perfect Match

The love of red wine is common in Australia with an almost endless list of dishes that goes perfectly with it. The most popular ones involve lamb recipes. It is general knowledge that the Shiraz from Barossa Valley loves to cuddle with a lamb shank while Hunter Valley’s Cabernet Sauvignon prefer lamb medallions. Their love story is timeless and priceless all at the same time. Nevertheless, do we really know how to bring out the best in Aussie lamb?

There are a number of things to consider when preparing lamb dishes to go with ever famous red wines.

1. Take note of the meat’s colour.

Younger meats are paler in colour which means it is more tender. Regular aged lambs tend to be darker, sort of pinkish red. If it goes any darker, you surely are dealing with a mutton dressed as lamb!

2. Get only the prime cuts.

As for any kind of meat, cuts from the loin, rib, and leg are usually the most tender. These are also more flavourful and require shorter time of cooking.

3. Serve your lamb recipes with a bottle of Shiraz

Though most red wine can be paired with lamb, its best partner is the Shiraz because of its fruity and less oaky sensation.

4.Experiment.

If you wish to use red wine as an ingredient it is always best to use a slow cooker. The slow, no-boil motion is perfect for red wines and it brings out the tender side of lamb meats. You can also add different herbs and spices such as garlic, lemon, thyme, and rosemary.

5.Stock-up on red wine

As you continue your quest for self-teaching in the kitchen you need to have ample supply of red wine. It will always come handy when you need something special to serve.

Anyways, Australian reds are the kind of wines you buy by the case especially if they are on sale. And who knows, with a bit more age, you might find your 12th bottle even better than the last one you opened.