Craft Your Own Montana Huckleberry BBQ Sauce at Home
Hearing mixed reports on the huckleberry harvest this year. Some folks are finding them, while others are not. We are seeing reports from lots of people all over western Montana. Now is the time to get up high on the mountain, enjoy the cooler breeze, and pick some hucks.
According to Wikipedia
In taste, they may be tart, with a flavor similar to that of a blueberry, especially in blue- and purple-colored varieties, and some have noticeably larger, bitter seeds. The fruit is versatile in various foods or beverages, including jam, pudding, candy, pie, ice cream, muffins, pancakes, salad dressings, juice, tea, soup, and syrup
Today we are going to try and incorporate huckleberries into something everyone uses this time of year...Barbecue sauce.
According to a recipe from Kleinworthco.com, here is what you will need:
- 1-1/2 cups ketchup
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 1-2/3 cup fresh or frozen huckleberries you could sub with black or blueberries
- 1/4 bell pepper - finely chopped
- 2 large sweet peppers- chopped
- 1 whole garlic small minced
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1-1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tbsp granulated garlic
Here is what you need to do to make the magic happen:
- In a medium saucepan combine all ingredients except butter.
- Cook over medium-low heat stirring until fully combined & hot (almost boiling)
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in butter until completely melted
- Allow to cool at least 10-15 minutes
- Transfer to blender - use caution with hot liquids!!
- Blend 60-120 seconds - or until all larger pieces are fully incorporated into the sauce
- Taste test- (you can add more seasonings like salt or a couple of drops of hot sauce to reach the desired flavor)
- Transfer to prepared sterile jars
- Store in refrigerator or freezer.
I have used this recipe on everything from elk burgers to pork loin. The tangy/tart flavor of the huckleberries adds a whole new level of flavor to your average barbecue sauce. Now go get to picking, while the picking is good.
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