Pickled Blueberries

We pickle everything around here. Carrots, green beans, garlic, beets, and of course, cucumbers. Everything tastes good in a tangy brine of vinegar and spices, right? When I heard about pickling blueberries, suddenly I wasn’t so sure. Don’t get me wrong here. When blueberry season looms, I am first in line. In pies or jam, stirred into yogurt or oatmeal, absolutely nothing compares. But I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of infusing these sweet little berries with a flavor profile that seemed just so... wrong. Still, I’m nothing if not game and I was prepared to sacrifice a pint of blueberries to satisfy my curiosity.

Color me converted. The sweet and tangy flavor profiles in pickling blueberries may seem at odds with each other, but holy cow, it works. They are downright tasty, when eaten straight from the jar, but this odd combination when paired with a creamy, mellow goat cheese or brie becomes something extraordinary. These flavors that seem so combative find an unexpected  synergy so satisfying it has me wondering what else I’ve overlooked in my pickling repertoire. I see some terrible missteps in my future, but after trying this one, all bets are off.

Pickled Blueberries

1 pint blueberries
1 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 whole peppercorns

Fill a pint canning jar with blueberries.

In a small pot, bring vinegar, sugar, salt and peppercorns to a boil.

Pour brine into jar to cover blueberries.

Cover and allow to cool to room temperature.

Refrigerate overnight before eating.