Blackberry bonanza!
August 1, 2011 9:18 AM Subscribe
So many blackberries. What to do with them?
Here in the pacific NW, blackberries in august are as common as dirt. I happen to live by five gigantic bushes that in total could likely yield around five pounds of blackberries if I spent a couple hours picking. I've made it a somewhat summer tradition to pick a giant amount of blackberries, but then I don't know what to do with them besides jams and pies. What are some other culinary constructs that could utilize an abundance of blackberries?
Here in the pacific NW, blackberries in august are as common as dirt. I happen to live by five gigantic bushes that in total could likely yield around five pounds of blackberries if I spent a couple hours picking. I've made it a somewhat summer tradition to pick a giant amount of blackberries, but then I don't know what to do with them besides jams and pies. What are some other culinary constructs that could utilize an abundance of blackberries?
Blackberry limeade. THE GREATEST THING.
posted by showbiz_liz at 9:26 AM on August 1, 2011
posted by showbiz_liz at 9:26 AM on August 1, 2011
Feel free to ship them my way :) We went out blackberry picking this weekend, the intense heat on the east coast has not been good for the blackberry bushes.
I had blackberries on my Cherrios this morning, and on ice cream last night. An easier question would be what can't you do with blackberries. I'll add them to just about anything.
posted by COD at 9:32 AM on August 1, 2011
I had blackberries on my Cherrios this morning, and on ice cream last night. An easier question would be what can't you do with blackberries. I'll add them to just about anything.
posted by COD at 9:32 AM on August 1, 2011
Jam and jelly!
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:38 AM on August 1, 2011
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:38 AM on August 1, 2011
Challah French Toast with Berry Sauce. I've used all blackberries and it is still very yummy.
posted by photovox at 9:45 AM on August 1, 2011
posted by photovox at 9:45 AM on August 1, 2011
wine wine wine lovely wine.
get a winemaking kit (like this one: http://www.the-online-homebrew-company.co.uk/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1305) then all you need is some raisins to improve the flavour and you're good to go!
posted by greenish at 9:46 AM on August 1, 2011
get a winemaking kit (like this one: http://www.the-online-homebrew-company.co.uk/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1305) then all you need is some raisins to improve the flavour and you're good to go!
posted by greenish at 9:46 AM on August 1, 2011
Smother in cream & brown sugar. Eat with a spoon.
posted by Ys at 9:48 AM on August 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Ys at 9:48 AM on August 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
1) Freeze 'em. Our standard procedure is picking the berries, cleaning however you usually clean before cooking with them, and then dumping into a Ziploc-type bag to freeze. They work fine for any pie-type application or mixing into oatmeal, etc.
2) Cobbler! I like the Joe Pastry version. If your berries are on the sour side I'd leave out the lemon juice. I also really, really like adding a little lemon zest to the cobbler crust (or orange zest, but lemon seems to work really well on a blueberry cobbler).
posted by pie ninja at 9:52 AM on August 1, 2011
2) Cobbler! I like the Joe Pastry version. If your berries are on the sour side I'd leave out the lemon juice. I also really, really like adding a little lemon zest to the cobbler crust (or orange zest, but lemon seems to work really well on a blueberry cobbler).
posted by pie ninja at 9:52 AM on August 1, 2011
I live in the PNW too, and yesterday we ate blackberry cobbler. But I came in to suggest blackberry cordial. Unlike with jams, the fruit you use for cordials can be super ripe, even bruised, and it doesn't matter. You drink in with seltzer, vodka, tonic, or water. Or you can pour it over pancakes or yogurt. Super yum.
You need:
2kg blackberries
200 ml water
sugar
- Place the berries and water in a large saucepan or preserving pan and bring to the boil. Cook until the fruit is soft and the juices are flowing, about 10 mins. Remove from the heat.
- Pour the fruit mixture into a muslin lined sieve over a large bowl and leave to drip overnight. (If you squeeze the juice out with will be cloudy.)
- Measure the liquid and return it to the cleaned saucepan/preserving pan. For each litre of juice add 500g sugar (or to taste) and then heat gently to dissolve the sugar, stirring gently.
- Bring the temperature up to 90C and then pour into the still hot, sterilised bottles, leaving a 1cm gap. Screw on the lids.
posted by Specklet at 10:02 AM on August 1, 2011 [3 favorites]
You need:
2kg blackberries
200 ml water
sugar
- Place the berries and water in a large saucepan or preserving pan and bring to the boil. Cook until the fruit is soft and the juices are flowing, about 10 mins. Remove from the heat.
- Pour the fruit mixture into a muslin lined sieve over a large bowl and leave to drip overnight. (If you squeeze the juice out with will be cloudy.)
- Measure the liquid and return it to the cleaned saucepan/preserving pan. For each litre of juice add 500g sugar (or to taste) and then heat gently to dissolve the sugar, stirring gently.
- Bring the temperature up to 90C and then pour into the still hot, sterilised bottles, leaving a 1cm gap. Screw on the lids.
posted by Specklet at 10:02 AM on August 1, 2011 [3 favorites]
Here are the search results on Tasty Kitchen for "Blackberry." It's the best of most user-friendly recipe website I've ever used. Several recipes on the list that sound amazing: Chocolate Blackberry Cobbler Bars, Blackberry Lemon Shortcake, Blackberry Streusel Pie. Yum!
posted by litnerd at 10:04 AM on August 1, 2011
posted by litnerd at 10:04 AM on August 1, 2011
Freeze them. Then, in the dead of winter, make a blackberry apple crumble or a cobbler. Serve with a good quality vanilla ice cream.
I live in Vancouver and it's easy to OD on the blackberries now, but in the dreary rainy months they're an awesome thing to have around.
posted by cgg at 10:05 AM on August 1, 2011
I live in Vancouver and it's easy to OD on the blackberries now, but in the dreary rainy months they're an awesome thing to have around.
posted by cgg at 10:05 AM on August 1, 2011
Blackberry curd, blackberry sorbet/ice cream/granita, blackberry clafoutis...yum.
posted by katie at 10:08 AM on August 1, 2011
posted by katie at 10:08 AM on August 1, 2011
Yes, yes, yes, freeze some. Put them (well-cleaned) on a cookie sheet on parchment paper and let them freeze individually for 4-6 hours first, then bag'em and get as much air out as possible. Oh man, blackberry cobbler is fine eating in January.
But, you might also like blackberry wine sauce for meat. Or try blackberry vinegar and vinaigrette, baked brie, phyllo-wrapped brie bites with spiced blackberry sauce, and blueberry goat-cheese basil pie.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:09 AM on August 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
But, you might also like blackberry wine sauce for meat. Or try blackberry vinegar and vinaigrette, baked brie, phyllo-wrapped brie bites with spiced blackberry sauce, and blueberry goat-cheese basil pie.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:09 AM on August 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Make popsicles, as many as you can. Blend, strain the blackberries, or cook them into juice, but fresh ones would be better, if you cook them do so minimally. Sweeten, or sweeten with Pear juice concentrate, maybe add some pectin to keep them more soft, rather than crisp. I bet black berry popsicles would make great margaritas in the winter, or some other concoction.
posted by Oyéah at 10:16 AM on August 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Oyéah at 10:16 AM on August 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Blueberry crumb bars with blackberries subbed in for half or all the blueberries.
posted by deludingmyself at 10:19 AM on August 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by deludingmyself at 10:19 AM on August 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
The traditional way to prepare blackberries is in pemmican.
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:42 AM on August 1, 2011
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:42 AM on August 1, 2011
My partner was born and grew up in the PNW and notes that blackberries grow like weeds, here, and that they can be sprayed with herbicides. So if these aren't your bushes, you might watch out for this.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:08 AM on August 1, 2011
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:08 AM on August 1, 2011
OP says: I've made it a somewhat summer tradition to pick a giant amount of blackberries
I think if they haven't made her sick in years' past, she'll be fine this time around too.
posted by litnerd at 11:20 AM on August 1, 2011
I think if they haven't made her sick in years' past, she'll be fine this time around too.
posted by litnerd at 11:20 AM on August 1, 2011
Freeze them.
Have them with cream or yogurt.
Throw them on your breakfast cereal or muesli.
Make blackberry pie.
Make blackberry crisp/crumble.
Make blackberry tarts.
Make blackberry jam.
posted by Decani at 11:30 AM on August 1, 2011
Have them with cream or yogurt.
Throw them on your breakfast cereal or muesli.
Make blackberry pie.
Make blackberry crisp/crumble.
Make blackberry tarts.
Make blackberry jam.
posted by Decani at 11:30 AM on August 1, 2011
I like to make this blackberry buttermilk cake in the summer.
posted by chickenmagazine at 12:00 PM on August 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by chickenmagazine at 12:00 PM on August 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I just had a bowl of blackberries and chopped mango in yogurt. Add a little sugar.
posted by jrochest at 12:18 PM on August 1, 2011
posted by jrochest at 12:18 PM on August 1, 2011
Blackberry Pie(s). They freeze well. Thaw and bake for Thanksgiving.
posted by notyou at 12:42 PM on August 1, 2011
posted by notyou at 12:42 PM on August 1, 2011
I can them in a light syrup instead of freezing them. I still get all the winter crisp/crumble/smoothie/cocktail goodness, but without taking up freezer space or electricity.
posted by janell at 12:44 PM on August 1, 2011
posted by janell at 12:44 PM on August 1, 2011
If you want some bake something real simple, here is my version of my mom's quick 3-cup cobbler recipe:
1 1/2 cups berries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt.
Heat over to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients, add milk, mix smooth. Add the berries last, pour into pie plate or 9x9 pan. Bake for 40 minutes.
posted by fings at 1:59 PM on August 1, 2011
1 1/2 cups berries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt.
Heat over to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients, add milk, mix smooth. Add the berries last, pour into pie plate or 9x9 pan. Bake for 40 minutes.
posted by fings at 1:59 PM on August 1, 2011
If you're freezing them, but don't want to go through the trouble of first freezing them spread out on a sheet so they will stay separate, just measure them out into pie sized portions before shoving them in a bag and freezing it. You'll end up with dense blocks of frozen berry (reduced surface area -> reduced freezer burn?), and you can just thaw out a bag when you want a pie.
posted by JiBB at 2:03 PM on August 1, 2011
posted by JiBB at 2:03 PM on August 1, 2011
For eating fresh, mix a bit of brown sugar with sour cream and dollop on the berries. SO good.
posted by jvilter at 2:20 PM on August 1, 2011
posted by jvilter at 2:20 PM on August 1, 2011
There was a drive-in pie place in Victoria, BC in the early 70s. A waitress (was she on roller skates? I cannot remember) told me the secret of their blackberry pie was adding a layer of thinly sliced apples to the bottom. So good.
posted by lois1950 at 3:58 PM on August 1, 2011
posted by lois1950 at 3:58 PM on August 1, 2011
I de-seed mine, then freeze the pulp. This makes it take up half the space. Keeps forever in the freezer, and if you use small containers you can thaw them as needed, then keep in the fridge for a week or so without needing to add preservative or do proper canning things to it. This is awesome as-is, or with a bit of sweetener, as a pancake topping.
The pulp can also be added to frostings or ice cream base.
posted by jessicapierce at 9:27 PM on August 1, 2011
The pulp can also be added to frostings or ice cream base.
posted by jessicapierce at 9:27 PM on August 1, 2011
make this cobbler. so good, and yet super easy.
Fruit cobbler
a 9x13 pan full of cut of fruit...peaches/apples/blackberries/blueberries (about 6 cups of fruit give or take.) sprinkle with brown sugar. (you can leave the pealing on the peaches and apples....slice them thin. (-:
Mix together in a bowl:
2 cups sugar
2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs (beat in the flour mix with a fork until crumbly)
Pour flower mixture over the fruit. mix the mixture a little so the flour seeps in the some of the fruit comes to the top for color. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
melt 1 cup of butter (2 sticks) and pour over the fruit/flour mixture.
Bake at 350 for 45 mins to an hour. Until lightly brown...(-:
----
yes, it is unhealthy.
yes, it is awesome.
posted by knockoutking at 6:46 AM on August 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
Fruit cobbler
a 9x13 pan full of cut of fruit...peaches/apples/blackberries/blueberries (about 6 cups of fruit give or take.) sprinkle with brown sugar. (you can leave the pealing on the peaches and apples....slice them thin. (-:
Mix together in a bowl:
2 cups sugar
2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs (beat in the flour mix with a fork until crumbly)
Pour flower mixture over the fruit. mix the mixture a little so the flour seeps in the some of the fruit comes to the top for color. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
melt 1 cup of butter (2 sticks) and pour over the fruit/flour mixture.
Bake at 350 for 45 mins to an hour. Until lightly brown...(-:
----
yes, it is unhealthy.
yes, it is awesome.
posted by knockoutking at 6:46 AM on August 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by griphus at 9:20 AM on August 1, 2011