Winter season in Wisconsin brings a lot of good things, believe it or not. We are, for the most part, blanketed by white snow for close to five months, if not longer. I actually do not mind the winter season, and so far, it has been really great. Mild conditions have allowed our kids to enjoy long days of sledding, and recently, outdoor ice skating. The outdoor activities have really been great as well, as my wife and I can get some fresh air, and some great exercise. It’s tough climbing up a big hill in winter gear, carrying a big sled, and a four year old!
The winter season also brings about some really comforting food. Soups, stews, and foods cooked low and slow equates to pure comfort, and that is what I am all about. So recently, as I always do, I asked the question ‘What do you feel like eating this week?’. With excitement in her face and tone of voice, she said ‘Meatloaf!’. Meatloaf? Don’t get me wrong, I love meatloaf, and I make a darn good one, but I was shocked to her my wife say meatloaf. I was hoping she would say something like chimichanga, or burrito but nope, she was clear on making a meatloaf.
Whenever I hear the word meatloaf, I quickly think back about growing up, and whose ever house it was, there was meatloaf for dinner, and for the most part, a pretty bad (no offense) meatloaf. There was nothing ever to it, but a mixture of meat, and ketchup covered on top, then baked. Growing up, you realize that meatloaf can be picked up a bit, and made the right way, and one way of picking it up a bit, is to remove the ketchup, for the most part, and add your own sauce. This brings into play the blackberry barbecue sauce.
When you hear blackberry barbecue sauce, you probably think, what in the world is this person thinking!? But this sauce is something else. Recently the local grocery store had frozen berries on sale. I thought they were a great deal, and immediately thought I was going to be making smoothies with them. I bought a few bags of the blackberries, as well as some pineapple. But when my wife said she wanted meatloaf, I thought, what a great combination of utilizing that sweetness from the ketchup, and making a batch of barbecue sauce. This sauce holds its own, and would be perfect for any grilled meats, whether it be fish, pork, beef, or chicken. It’s a must try.
Ingredients:
- 2 small onions, peeled, and quartered
- 2 cloves of garlic, rough chop
- 2 cups of blackberries, thawed (if using frozen)
- 1/2 cup of light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp of ground ginger
- 1 tsp of cayenne pepper
- generous pinch of salt
- generous pinch of pepper
Add the above ingredients to a blender, and puree until nice and smooth. Add this to a small pot, and cook on medium to low heat for about 20 minutes. Stir, and remove from the heat. When you make the meatloaf, add the sauce to the top before baking, and spread on the plate before serving.
This has a great color, full flavor, and is sure to please. Now I am curious how cherries are going to be! Enjoy.