July 31, 2017

Blackberry Sauce

This post was originally published here on July 29, 2013. I’ve since updated the text and photographs. It’s a quick and easy recipe that I know you’ll love!

There are a lot of things I miss about living in Seattle, WA. The larger-than-life mountains. The availability of craft beer on virtually every street corner. And some of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen in my life. Just to name a few.

But this time of year, I mostly miss the free blackberries.

Blackberry bushes are an invasive species to the Pacific Northwest. And they are a thing that Seattleites just love to hate. Most of the year, they are considered a nuisance. Their dense, gnarly branches creep into every backyard, parking lot, alley way and hiking trail imaginable. And their thorns aren’t afraid to bite back, leaving you with holes in your clothing and blood on your hands if you attempt to tame them.

BUT! Then late Summer happens and HELLO free blackberries. Ripe for the taking. In the most literal way possible.

I used to pick buckets of blackberries almost every morning (and I had the purple tongue to prove it!) when I was out walking my dog. Now, I’m forced to purchase most of my blackberries from the grocery store (oh the horror). But I still manage to eat (and drink!) more than my fair share each Summer.

This Blackberry Sauce recipe is one I started making in Seattle, when I had more blackberries than I knew what to do with. And even though my availability of blackberries has reduced significantly, I still love making it today. It only requires 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of time. And it transitions flawlessly throughout the entire spectrum of mealtimes. Try it at breakfast with yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes or waffles. Use it as a topping for grilled chicken, pork or salmon. Or enjoy it with ice cream, cheesecake or pound cake. The possibilities are endless!

Cheers,

Liz

Get the Recipe:

Blackberry Sauce

At a Glance:

Yield: Makes 2 1/2 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tsp. corn starch
• 3 cups fresh blackberries, washed
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. lemon zest

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice and corn starch. Set aside.
2. In a non-reactive saucepan, cook the blackberries and sugar over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, or until the blackberries are broken down and have released their juices. Then stir in the corn starch mixture and bring the sauce to a low boil until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Set aside to cool.
4. Once cooled, transfer the blackberry sauce to a re-sealable container and refrigerate until you're ready to use it. The blackberry sauce can be stored in your refrigerator for 7-10 days.