Everything You Need to Know About Blackberry Picking

If you live in the PNW, don’t buy blackberries in August/September…pick them for free!

I had never seen wild blackberries, until I moved to Washington. There’s three types of blackberries in Washington: the Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), the cutleaf blackberry (Rubus laciniatus) , and the Pacific blackberry (Rubus ursinus), which are all edible.

I didn’t even know about them the first year, but after a friend pointed out the bushes, I realized they are literally everywhere. Blackberries (Himalayan and cutleaf) are invasive species and actually considered a pest in many parts of the US. You can find them next to roads, alongside rivers and streams, by schools and building, while hiking, and we love eating them as a snack on walks.

Blackberry Picking

• Bring gloves. Those thorns can be nasty. I don’t use the gloves for picking the berries itself, but they are helpful to pull branches closer to you.
• Blackberries are ripe when the bush releases them easily as you gently pull on them. The ideal blackberries should be fully black, large, and firm. If you have to pull hard, it’s not ready. If they fall off on their own or squish in your hands, they’re overripe (they won’t keep well and spoil faster).
• Use a container to hold the berries. We made the mistake of putting them in a ziploc bag, which leaked in my backpack, and became a giant mess. Put them in tupperware, a basket, or a gallon jug cut in half.
• Don’t pick blackberries near the ground because dogs or other animals can pee on them
• Carry a foldable step stool (we keep ours under the stroller), so you can reach more blackberries.
• Wear dark clothes to avoid stains. If you get berry stains on your clothes, wash with acids such as lemon juice and vinegar.

Blackberry – Prep and Storage

• Blackberries commonly have worms (sorry but this applies to all berries, even the ones in the groceries like Trader Joes and Costco, even if you don’t see them). They are the larvae of fruit flies and tend to be in overripe berries. While off putting, they’re safe to eat (extra protein)
• To get rid of any eggs or larvae
  • Soak berries in ice water
  • Wash berries in water + salt (1 cup of water to one teaspoon of salt) or + apple cider vinegar (1 cup water to 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar)
  • Chill in the fridge
  • Freeze the berries
• Eat or freeze your berries within 24-48 hours. I wash them only when I’m about to eat or freeze them, otherwise they’ll spoil quicker.
• Jamming or baking them is also a great way to use up blackberries quickly
  

Recipes

Here’s two easy recipes. For more blackberry recipes or the original posts, you can check out my foodblog Obsessive Cooking Disorder

Wild Blackberry Jam (No Pectin)

Easy Blackberry Galette