A few weeks ago, my friend Lindsay and I went out to my grandma’s to pick blackberries. Blackberries are my all-time favorite berry and I came home with 12 pints! I made a pie and some delicious blackberry syrup. While looking for other ways to use up my precious berries, I came across this recipe for Pickled Blackberries. Now, I know what you are thinking- pickled blackberries?? Weird! Gross! I’ve tried other pickled fruits in the past (like pickled strawberries and cherries) and loved them, so I thought I’d give the pickled blackberry a try.
I will admit, that the first taste-test was a little surprising, but I knew these pickled berries would be a great addition to a charcuterie plate. I served them at a BBQ with some crackers, herbed salami and gouda – everyone raved about them! I also can’t wait to try them in a cocktail and in salads.
- 8 black peppercorns
- 3 allspice berries
- 2 juniper berries
- ½-inch piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 small fresh bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 shallot, quartered lengthwise
- 6 tbsps sugar
- 3 tbsps kosher salt
- 2 cups red wine vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 18 oz. fresh blackberries (about 4 cups), washed and shaken of excess water
[/url]- Roughly crush the peppercorns, allspice, and juniper berries together with a mortar and pestle (or however you like to crush hard round spices). Place the crushed spices, ginger, bay leaf, sprig of thyme, shallot, sugar, kosher salt, red wine vinegar, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring the brine to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the liquid. Let the liquid cool completely or you’ll cook your berries. Discard the spices and aromatics.
- Place the berries in clean canning jars. Pour the cooled pickling liquid over the berries. Cover the jar tightly and refrigerate for at least a week before serving, but 2 or more weeks is preferred. Keeps for up to 3 months refrigerated. Makes 4 cups of pickled blackberries.
I decorated my jars with labels and tags in Mirin Silk style. I can’t wait to give these to friends as hostess gifts!
Used In This Project:
- Circle Hang Tags • I chose the “Miran Silk” style in radiant orchid.
- Circle Labels • I chose the “Miran Silk” style in radiant orchid.
- Oval Labels • I chose the “Miran Silk” style in radiant orchid.
More Pickles and Preserves:
Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce Caramelized Balsamic Figs Vietnamese Daikon and Carrot Pickles Homemade Sauerkraut
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Rachel Beyer is an artist, designer and creative maker based in Portland, OR. She loves crafting, party planning and illustration. Rachel runs her own creative blog, Adventures In Making and also has a line of greeting cards, art prints and handmade goodies called Camp Smartypants.
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