As anyone who’s spent some time in the bush would agree, blackberry can be an absolute pain at the best of times. Due to its prickly and painful nature, its tastiness often seems to be overlooked, and it gets disregarded as just another pesky pest plant.

With this recipe, I hope to inspire you to give blackberries a second chance and enjoy a tasty way of preparing your wild game with a foraged berry twist!

Wild Blackberry BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh wild blackberries (rinsed, stems/leaves removed)
• ½ cup ketchup
• ¼-⅓ cup brown sugar (start with ¼; add more if too tart)
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1½ cups Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp chilli powder (optional for those who like a bit of heat)

Method

1. Cook the berries: Add your blackberries to a pot with a splash of water. Cook over a low heat for 8-12 mins, mashing with a fork until soft and juicy.
2. Strain: Pour through a sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl. Press to make sure you get all the juice out. You should be left with about a cup or so of smooth puree. (I like to keep the leftover seeds/pulp for adding to yoghurt or ice cream.)
3. Simmer the sauce: Return the blackberry puree to the pot. Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder and chilli powder (if using).
4. Reduce: Simmer on low heat for 15-30 mins until it thickens to a sauce consistency (coats the back of a spoon). Taste midway – add sugar if too tart, vinegar if too sweet or more paprika for more smokiness.
5. Put aside if using immediately or into the fridge if storing; it’ll keep for a couple of weeks.

Pulled Venison

Ingredients

• 2-3kg venison roast (works best with a boned-out shoulder roast)
• 1 large onion
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 cup of beef or venison stock
• 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
• Salt, pepper and smoked paprika (to season the meat)

Method

• Season the meat generously with salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
• Place in a slow cooker with the onion, garlic, stock and Worcestershire sauce.
• Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
• Shred the venison. You can drain any excess liquid, if necessary, to avoid it ending up watery.
• Mix in your Wild Blackberry BBQ Sauce and enjoy! I find it’s best served on bread rolls with sauerkraut or coleslaw.