Wine Pairing: Pork Loin with Mustard Basil Cream Sauce
In this wine pairing, let the sauce take the center stage: no matter how you prepare the pork, the sauce will be the star of the show.
Its time for my first featured pork wine pairing! I only know that because my only 2 previous pork pairings were with beer (figures). I realized this while making my fancy shmancy new food pairings page. And I'm super proud of this, by the way. Last week I changed up my menu (see above for "wine pairings","beer pairings", and "food pairings") so now you can easily search for what wine or beer you should pair with a meal based on what food you are having, or vice versa. You know what else I noticed while making these menus? I have to start posting A LOT more pairings! I've had this blog over a year now and I've only counted 20 recipes/pairings. If you have any dish you'd like to see paired with a beer/wine, please share below in the comments!
The Pairing
Ok so imagine this: Mustard. Basil. Sour Cream. Smothered over pork. With a glass of chardonnay. Yes, yes, my love for chardonnay is showing again. This is such an easy, no frills pairing if you pick the right chardonnay. I'd go for one from a cooler climate that is relatively acidic, oaked-but-not-a-butter-bomb chardonnay, such as something from Burgundy, Oregon, or North Coast California. The reason a chardonnay like this works is in the texture. The mustard and sour cream in the sauce give the dish a pungent, tangy component that an oaked chardonnay will complement. If you picked a fruitier wine like sauvignon blanc to go with this, it would be overwhelmed by the weight of the sauce and the bright fruit would be too contrasting. Chardonnays usually have a citrus/lemon flavor to them, which complements the tang from the sour cream. And the basil? That's just the finishing touch to wrap this pairing up into one delicious meal.
The Recipe
As you may have noticed, I did not mention anything about the pork being a great pairing with the chardonnay above. That's because this dish is all about the sauce! It doesn't really matter how the pork is prepared to make this a great meal. So grill it, roast it, do whatever you prefer. This sauce can also be paired with other cuts of pork if you want (such as pork chops, pork roast, etc) or doesn't have to go with pork at all! Try it on filet mignon, grilled or fried chicken, or even lamb. All of these meats can also be paired with chardonnay as long as you're serving it with the sauce!
Last note: use high quality, smooth (not course) dijon mustard for this sauce to yield the best results. I always use Amora mustard which is commonly used in France. I buy it specially online!
Mustard and Basil Cream Sauce
Author: Dani (CaretoPair.com)
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 1/4 Cup dry white wine (chardonnay would be perfect!)
- 1 1/4 Cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp spicy dijon mustard (do not use course mustard)
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh basil
Instructions
- To make the pork: Please see note above on different ways you can serve this dish. The quickest way is to grill the pork tenderloin in indirect heat for about 40 minutes or until the pork reaches 150 degrees. Let the pork sit for 15 minutes before serving.
- To make the sauce: Heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and let simmer until reduced by about half.
- Slowly add the sour cream, little by little, and the mustard. Continue stirring and cooking until the sauce has thickened, making sure it does not come back to a boil.
- Once the sauce has thickened to your liking, remove from heat and stir in the fresh basil. Serve immediately over the pork.
Happy Pairing!