Blackberry overload!
Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 5:19AM I got up early yesterday, went to the store at 7:30 and picked up two sirloin roasts, a seasoned brisket, and a corned beef, loaded them up into the smoker, and headed out to weed whack and mow the grass. While I was mowing, I couldn’t avoid noticing how many ripe berries were on the blackberry bushes again, so I cooled off with the hose, and starting picking. Three gallons! On top of the two gallons I picked a couple of days ago!
Good grief, and there is still a gazillion unripe berries. They’re a bit tart this year though, due to the lack of rain. And the bushes are turning yellow and not looking so good. Jim and I have tried to keep up with watering the orchard, but that’s both a huge job and a whopping water bill. We’ve about abandoned the garden this year.
The four roasts set in the fridge overnight, this morning I’ll pull out the meat slicer and shave them up, then they’ll get vac sealed into 1/2lb packages and tossed into the freezer. We don’t buy lunch meat around here!
I still haven’t decided what to do with all the blackberries. I really don’t need any jelly. I still have several gallons in the freezer from last year. My neighbors aren’t home…
Maybe I should try my hand at tie dying some fabric with blackberry juice?
Created by CJ
;)
Meat is shaved, packaged and in the freezer!
To the left is the roast beef, the pastrami (smoked corn beef) in the front… it was not a very nice roast, extremely fatty darn it, and in the rear is the brisket.
We should be good for a while!
Reader Comments (11)
have you ever tried making blackberry pie filling and freeze it (if it can be froze?) or can it? You could use it for pies or warm a couple spoonfuls up and put it over vanilla ice cream? That is a lot of berries - If I was going to be here for the whole summer I would run over and get some of the excess from you :)
Good idea for the lunch meat - I might have to get a meat slicer one day and get a new smoker - the old one is falling apart it is so old.
Karen
Oh, blackberries are one of my favorite fruits. Dyeing fabrics is an interesting thought. I bet it would be beautiful. I am seeing batiks.
I think I'll rest now - after all your work I'm tired.
Get me a blackberry tart with a cup of coffee please.
Is Jim back to New Orleans tomorrow?
Scott is off tomorrow for the week.
Did you check out my recent post?
I can't remember the last lunch meat I bought. There is usually some kind of lunch meat in the freezer. If there is leftover meat, it's sandwich material, if not then it's egg sandwiches or classic pb&j. This year I need to make more jam so I'm hoping we get oodles of free blackberries! I think I'm going to try to make some blackberry leather if we get enough--I have lots of grands that like the fruit "candy".
Cindy cracks me up!
That is a great idea with the roast! What brand or type of smoker do you have CJ. I don't have one, but may consider one after looking at your sliced meats. The wild blackberries here on Timberhill won't be ready until August. We have cooler temps here on the north CA. coast. We have a ton of flowers on the bushes so hopefully we will have a bumper crop is we beat out the birds and deer.
I freeze the blackberries and eat them as a treat frozen. You have really been busy. Have you thought about putting in a well to water your garden?
YUM-MO!!!! Polly
Ooo, I'll take the berries!!
I'm so glad we have our own well. City sewer, our own water (we live in the county). If you live in town here, the city more than doubles the water rate over the summer AND specifies times you can water. So grateful for my well!!
Oh, my! I wish I was your neighbor. Blackberries are my favorites. Cobblers, muffins, sauce for ice cream, by the bowl full...wish I had a freezer filled to the brim. When I cook a roast in the oven, I do 2 at a time. I will do big amount of chicken in the crockpot, even though there are just the 2 of us. Why do one meal when you can do for many. The meats look wonderful. I'll be by for dinner tomorrow.
Beckie
What a great idea to freeze your own lunch meat CJ. I think I'll give that a try!
On the blackberry front - I have gazillions too - I freeze them whole on a flat tray and then bag them up and make pies and crumbles all winter - mostly with the apples that I stew and freeze. I always think they give everyone a great vitamin boost when it's cold and grey outside!
OMG, blackberry syrup!!! What about a blackberry BBQ sauce for Christmas gifts?