How To Pair Sangria And Steak For The Ultimate Summer Dinner

When we hear the word sangria, Spanish tapas bars come to mind. However, among local Spaniards, sangria is a boozy punch served by the pitcher at backyard barbecues. So, if you're wanting a more Spanish experience, sangria would be a refreshing and vibrant cocktail to serve friends at your next cookout. And yes, we're talking pairing grilled steaks with your juicy drink. We've interviewed an expert to help you choose the perfect cut of steak to pair with sangria.

Matthew Kreider, executive chef at Fort Lauderdale's Steak 954 steakhouse, enthusiastically confirmed sangria's place at your next grill party, saying, "When I think sangria, I think summer out on the grill." Kreider opts for more accessible cuts for a crowd to enjoy with this sweetened punch that mixes fruit juice, red wine, sugar, and liqueur (our recipe uses grand marnier). He says, "Skirt steak, bavette, of the flanken cut short ribs (think Korean barbecue) immediately spring to mind."

Bavette steak is an unsung hero of beef because it's flavorful, easy to cook, long, and quite flat, so ideal for slicing up to feed a crowd. The same goes for skirt steak, a popular thin cut for fajitas or tacos de arrachera. Korean barbecue short ribs carry on the crowd-worthy theme in Keider's sangria pairings. All of these steak types work with diverse culinary traditions, seasonings, and accompaniments. So, we'll get into the specifics of types of sangria to pair with whichever steak dinner you have in mind.

When it comes to pairing sangria with steak, red sangria is the best choice. Just as you'd conventionally pair steak with a full-bodied red wine, you could use a cabernet, malbec, or a Spanish rioja as the foundation for your sangria recipe. Sparkling beverages, fruit juice, and fresh fruit add a refreshing and bright complement to these heavy red wines, which expands your food pairings even more. We recently consulted another expert who shared various ideas for pairing foods with red sangria, including red meats, robust cheeses, and spicy accompaniments.

You can start with typical Spanish side dishes to pair with red sangria, including a spicy paella, papas bravas with a spicy, tangy tomato and mayonnaise-based salsa brava. Since strong cheeses pair well with red sangria, you could garnish your steaks with blue cheese sauce. A fruity, full-bodied sangria would also make the perfect cocktail to serve with beef fajitas or steak quesadillas elaborated with sharp cheddar or pepper Jack cheese. Of course, Korean cuisine has a wealth of spicy, umami-rich banchan like kimchi or soy-braised potatoes to pair with short ribs and sangria.

You can also use different fruits in the sangria to help boost the flavor of your steak. For a summer steak dinner, blueberries, strawberries, and cherries would pair well with steak. You can ring in the fall or winter with oranges and warming spices like cinnamon to balance the richness of steak.