Kickin' Summer Blackberry BBQ Sauce

‘Tis the season for blackberries here in the PNW. They are everywhere, whether you want them to be or not. They are actually considered a nuisance with most home and land owners because they will outgrow everything. Being fairly new to Oregon, I am still in love with finding them. I take my bike down the Stubb Stewart Park bike trail and collect them in glass mason jars to bring home. I use the glass because they are so delicate they will crush with any impact. To use up my bounty from a recent Orenco Farmer’s Market trip, I came up with this recipe. It will actually stay good in your fridge for months and even longer over the winter if you freeze it.

To continue on the path of Oregon blackberries check out our Cast Iron Mixed Berry Galette which is the perfect end to any meal at camp.

2 c blackberries, fresh & rinsed
3/4 c ketchup, I use Portland Ketchup
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, I use Bragg
2 tbsp raw honey, I use Nature Nate’s
2 tbsp Worcestershire
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili flakes, less if you don’t like the heat
2 garlic cloves, crushed (I use zester)
1/4 red onion, crushed (I use zester)
2 tbsp brown mustard
2 tbsp butter

In a small pan, cook down the blackberries until they are liquid. Using a fine-mesh strainer over bowl crush down the berries to get the juice and separate the seeds. Next, put the seedless juice back in the pan and all the ingredients in with it. Let this simmer away on a very low temp for 30-40 minutes to tone down the acidity and remove from the heat. You could also throw everything into a crockpot on low for a few hours if that suits. You can store this in small jam jars and pop them into your cooler for your next trip. It’s excellent to marinate chicken and pork for grilling. Another use could be as a flatbread pizza sauce with chicken and mozzarella. It can be frozen through the winter or stored in the fridge for a few months.

Makes about 2 cups in total