Notice the clever pun? (Lame, I know.)
It is blackberry season and The Hubs and I recently made an early visit to our local blackberry u-pick farm conveniently located two miles from our home. In less than thirty minutes, we picked seventeen quarts of huge blackberries. (All this before 7:30 a.m., I might add.)
Local blackberries picked fresh at 6:45 a.m.
With 17 quarts, I plan on eating some fresh and unadorned (as I am now in my granola), as well as canning up pints of jam.
I am sure that I will make a batch of each of these favorites:
- Blackberry-Lemon Jam with Thyme
- Blackberry Vinegar
- Blackberry-Lemon Jam with Cinnamon Basil
- Blackberry-Lime Freezer Jam
- Blackberry Lime Jam (conventional version)
- Blackberry Port Jam
- Blackberry Syrup
- Peach-Blackberry Cobbler with Thyme
After all this sweet stuff, you will need a salad or two. Try my most recent blackberry recipe with Black and Blue and Red Salad. Or make your own salad and top it with this jam based dressing, Blackberry Basil Dressing.
Freezing blackberries is super easy. This method allows you to have plenty to throw into beverages like Blackberry ‘Ritas and Blackberry-Cucumber Water. Let me just say that we have a new favorite Blackberry Lime Margarita that I whipped up after this recent onslaught of berries.
Margarita with an array of canning supplies.
These are so good that I plan on making freezer packs.
Blackberry-Lime Margarita Freezer Packs
adapted from Blackberry Lime MargaritaServes 4-8 (depending on your ‘rita glass size)
2 c. blackberries
1 c. fresh lime juice
1 to 1 1/2 c. 100% agave white tequila
1/2 c. fine sugar (like baker’s sugar)Puree blackberries in a blender. Force puree through a fine sieve into a small bowl and discard solids. (You should have about a cup of puree, more or less.)
Place puree back in blender along with lime juice, tequila and sugar. Blend until frothy and sugar is dissolved.
Now, you can pour this over crushed ice and drink immediately or you can freeze in a sealable bag for later. Remove from freezer and break up a bit before serving your slushy adult beverage.
Just look at this color.
I can’t honestly describe the enormity of these blackberries in words. Let me let a picture do them justice.
The top berry is obviously one from the blackberry farm. The bottom three are some off the wild bushes that have sprung up on our back fence (thanks to the mockingbirds, I am sure).
This farm also offers blueberries and I will make at least another trip back to pick those soon. I have a bit more time because the blueberries are in season until July.
P.S. Besides the jams, vinegars and margarita mixes that I have made this week using up these berries, I also made this new recipe that is definitely a keeper: Blackberries in Framboise.
Please check out another great Oklahoma Blackberry post at Kelli’s Kitchen.
Those from the farm are seriously big!!
Yep. Seriously delicious, too.
I’ll take the slushy version!!! I just love fresh blackberries—lucky you!!
We just about have them all “put up” at this point. Going for blueberries tomorrow.
Although I don’t have a blackberry farm nearby, I bought a ton of blackberries yesterday as they were so cheap at a local market. I used them up for jam. Now I wish I’d save a few. Your drink looks wonderful!
I have been having blackberry infused water daily. Thanks, Chris.
What fun it would be to pick fruit like you did. I should check around my area, certai ,y there is a farm for all you can pick. It gets so hot here though, I would surely have to start in the early morning,
Loving the drink, I am a cocktail enthusiast:-)
You will LOVE this cocktail, Tina. Our farm starts picking at 7:00 a.m. and only picks on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-noon. Hot? Hot, you say? I cannot believe summer is not officially even here yet and we are in heat indexes of 110+.
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Blackberry syrup, the margarita and actually all of the rest work for me! My fave summer fruit and we have the large ones here also. I loved as a kid, living on the farm, going by the creek and picking blackberries as I knew there would be a pie of them soon, regardless of briars and purple fingers! Great recipes, thanks!
Our wild ones are thorny little devils but the ones at the U-pick farm are thornless and upright so you don’t have to bend over! 🙂
Blackberries here are crazy expensive! I’d love to have a sip from that!
They’re not cheap here. Even with picking them ourselves, I was surprised of the price. But they’re worth it and I have them all frozen or jarred at this point.
Oh man….I would love to live so close to a blackberry farm!!! You’re right – those blackberries are HUGE! Jam would be a must, but this margarita freezer pack sounds awesome!
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