Sixteen restaurants. Eleven cookbooks. Hundreds of TV episodes since his first Food Network show (Grillin' and Chillin') premiered over a decade ago—and he still counts Iron Chef America, Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction and cohosting Food Network Star among his regular gigs. Yet no matter how fired up he gets work-wise, the affable redhead is never happier than when he's manning his own grill and connecting with friends at casual get-togethers. Try his irresistible barbecue sauce on chicken, fish or burgers at your next party.
Bobby Flay's Red Wine Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients

Illustration By John Ritter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons ground ancho chile
1 tablespoon smoked sweet Spanish paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir
1 cup ketchup
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon molasses
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Heat oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add ground ancho, paprika and cayenne and cook for 30 seconds. Raise heat to high, add wine and boil until completely evaporated.
- Add ketchup and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, chipotle, brown sugar, honey and molasses and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool at room temperature. In a tightly sealed container, sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator. Makes 1 cup.
Bobby Flay's Barbecue Cocktail
According to Bobby: "Given my love of grilling and barbecue, this drink was inevitable. Smoky paprika, savory tomato juice, and vodka with a spicy kick meet dry vermouth and tangy lime juice in this cocktail that's perfect with burgers, steaks, fish tacos and, well, almost anything barbecued."
Ingredients
Ice cubes
2 ounces jalapeño vodka
1/4 ounce dry vermouth
1 ounce tomato juice
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice, plus 1/4 teaspoon for rimming glass
Pinch of kosher salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon for rimming glass
Pinch of smoked sweet Spanish paprika, plus 1/4 teaspoon for rimming glass
1/4 teaspoon sugar for rimming glass
Lime twist, for garnish
Directions
- Fill a mixing glass with ice and add the vodka, vermouth, tomato juice, lime juice, salt and paprika. Stir vigorously until the outside of the glass is beaded with sweat and frosty.
- Combine the 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon sugar on a small plate. Wet the rim of a chilled martini glass with 1/4 teaspoon lime juice and dip the rim in the salt mixture. Tap off any excess.
- Strain the drink into the chilled martini glass and garnish with the lime twist.
Recipes courtesy of Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook: Celebrate America's Great Flavors (Clarkson Potter, 2011).