This little purple- redish berry known in Western Canada as a Saskatoon Berry is also known as June Berries in the United States and in Ontario they are called Service berries. In is not uncommon for fruits and vegetables to be called different names in different countries. For example, zucchini is a courgette in England and Australia.

Saskatoon berries grow in Western Canada from late July until early August. The most common items to make with these little berries are pies, jam and even ice cream. However it has been too hot to bake but perfect to BBQ. I saw a couple recipes online, and wanted to try my hand at making a savory dish, so here we go!

This recipe make about 1 1/2 cups of BBQ sauce.

Supplies

- 2 cups Saskatoon Berries

- 1/2 cup of Water

- 1/2 cup of Vinegar

- 1/2 TBSP of Pepper

- 1/2 TBSP of Onion Powder

- 1/2 TBSP of *Ground Mustard

- 1 TBSP of Worcester Sauce

- 5 TBSP of Maple Syrup

*Ground Mustard - I love using this ingredient. It enhances the other ingredients that you are using. It is important to note that you are Not Able to substitute Yellow Mustard for Ground Mustard. Yellow Mustard is primarily vinegar which is a different profile that we are trying to achieve.

Step 1: The Difference Between Blueberries and Saskatoon Berries

Both Saskatoon Berries and Blueberries grow in the wild here in Western Canada, where we live. Although they look similar, there are some differences that are important to know about.

Found in Central and Western Canada and the Northwestern part of the USA, Saskatoon berries are a staple berry that many people grow domestically in their yards, or forage for out in the bush. Misâskwatômin, which is the traditional Cree First Nation name for the berry, are full of fibre, calcium and antioxidants. The berries were an important food source for the First Nation people, featuring prominently in the food Pemmican and as a traditional medicine.

Some key features of the Saskatoon Berry are:

Colour: as you can see in the photo Blueberries are blue and Saskatoon berries are several colours of purple including dark and reddish purple.

Size and Shape: they both appear to be the same size in shape.

Taste: here is where these two berries differ greatly. Blueberries are sweet and smooth. Saskatoon’s are a combination of sweet and little tart and we find them to be a little seedy when you eat them.

Fun Fact: Although you would think that blueberries and Saskatoon berries would be related to each other, Saskatoon berries are more closely related to apples than to blueberries!

References :

Canada’s Food. (n.d.). Saskatoon Berries. Retrieved August 16, 2020 https://www.canadasfood.com/history_products/sask...

Saskatoon Berry Institute of North America. (n.d.). About Saskatoon Berries. Retrieved August 16, 2020, from http://saskatoonberryinstitute.org/saskatoons/

Step 2: Your Needed Tools.

- Medium Saucepan

- Large Wooden Spoon

- 1 Cup Dry Measurement

- 1 Cup Wet Measurement

- 1 TBSP

- 1/2 TBSP

- Immersion Blender

Step 3: Let’s Bring It All Together.

1. Place your berries into your medium saucepan.

2. Place your water, Sugar, Vinegar, Pepper, Onion powder, Ground Mustard, Worcester sauce and Maple syrup into the medium saucepan.

3. Stir together.

Step 4: Let the Journey Begin.

- No one said making outstanding BBQ sauce was going to be easy. To get the full flavour of this amazing berry you will need to cook is for a little while.

- First bring the pot to a boil then simmer on low with the lid on for an hour. Remember to stir once or twice.

- Your house will fill with a sweet tangy smell that will remind you of your last BBQ.

Step 5: Time to Cool

- Once the sauce is cooked remove from heat and allow to cool before you blend it.

Step 6: Blending Time.

- Once your sauce is cooled it is time to blend. You can do this one of two ways. Either in a Blender or by using an Immersion Blender.

- I like to use the Immersion Blender because it is quick and clean up is easy.

- When using the Immersion blender be careful not to splash or you will be wiping up BBQ dots around your kitchen!

- Place the blender into the sauce and carefully turn it on.

- Blend until all the berries are smooth.