Dame Jen Greenhalgh
There’s as many different styles of BBQ sauce out there as there are stars and stripes on the good old US flag, but for me you can’t beat sticky, sweet and tangy Kansas City style. Thick with ketchup and brown sugar and packed with apple cider vinegar punch, I find there’s no better vehicle for your foraged berries. I’ve made so many different varieties of KC BBQ sauce, cherry, peach, greengage, apple…you name it. But my current favourite is this seasonal beauty, blackberry!
You’ll need:
530g ketchup
40g tomato puree
360g apple cider vinegar
60g yellow mustard (I like French’s)
8g garlic powder
8g salt
250ml water
450g light brown sugar
400-500g washed blackberries
Mix everything except the blackberries well with a whisk in a big bowl. This helps distribute the sugar and start it dissolving so reduces risk of it sticking and burning.
Once all mixed up we’ll transfer to a large deep pot with plenty of room for boiling and bring it up to a boil stirring whilst this happens so the dissolves.
Once it’s boiling away turn it down to a medium simmer and reduce until thick and starting to spit out at you, stir often. Add in your fresh blackberries and cook for a further 15/20 minutes on a low simmer until they have collapsed and given up all their flavour and juice.
Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a blender and blitzing until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve to remove all those pesky seeds. Chill in a sealed jar or container. Will keep for a couple of months in the fridge.
I like to brush it on chicken thighs as they roast to make a deep dark sticky glaze.
Enjoy!