Blueberry BBQ & Oven Baked Fries

I am not a big fan of BBQ. It just doesn’t suit me. But I thought I’d give it shot tonight using all the berries that we picked over the weekend- blueberry bar-b-cue! And what goes great with sweet grilled meat, but fries! I prefer not to deep fry because a) it’s not particularly healthy and b) I don’t have anything to deep fry in. So instead I made oven baked sweet and red potato fries.

So the end result is that it was good, but not quite barbecue. The blueberry flavor was prominent- and that was ok- and you could taste the ketchup- also good- and it had a nice mellow heat- just fiiiine! But it was missing something. Hubby says it’s missing that “BBQ flavor”- whatever that means! I think more vinegar might be good- as with another kick of Tabasco. The fries were delish though!


Blueberry BBQ

• 2 1/2 C. Fresh Blueberries
  
• 1/2 C. Red Wine Vinegar (Next time I’d step it up to 3/4 cup.)
  
• 3/4 C. Ketchup
  
• 1/2 C. Onion, chopped
  
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
  
• 1 Tbsp. Chipotle Seasoning
  
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
  
• 2 tsp. Chili Powder
  
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
  
• 1 tsp. Mustard Powder
  
• 1-2 tsp. Tabasco Sauce
  
• Dash of Salt
  
• 1 1/2 Lb. Chicken Breasts

1. In a medium saucepan, cook the berries, vinegar, and ketchup over medium heat. Simmer to let the blueberries breakdown and create a thick sauce.
   
2. As the sauce simmers, add in the rest of the ingredients, except the chicken. Stir and taste, making adjustments to the spices as desired.
   
3. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes to reduce sauce. As it simmers, turn the heat down so the sugars from the berries and brown sugar don’t burn.
   
4. When the sauce is reduced, pour into a blender and puree until smooth.
   
5. In a glass or ceramic dish, put a couple of tablespoons of the sauce over the chicken breasts to marinade. Allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes.
   
6. Scoop 1/4 C. of the sauce into a small bowl for brushing on the meat. Return the rest of the sauce to the original sauce pan.
   
7. Grill chicken breasts over medium heat, brushing and turning occasionally while the meat cooks. Chicken should be cooked within 20 minutes.
   
8. Serve with remaining warmed sauce.

Sweet and Red Potato Oven Baked Fries

• 2 Good Sized Sweet Potatoes
  
• 1 Good Sized Red Potato
  
• 2 Tbls. Vegetable Oil
  
• 1 Heaping Tbsp. Kosher Salt
  
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
  
• Dash of Cinnamon
  
• Dash of Cumin
  
• 1-2 Tbsp. Onion, large chunks

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
   
2. Scrub all the potatoes and leave the skins on. Slice all the taters up into small fry shaped pieces.
   
3. In a large glass or ceramic, microwave friendly dish, place the potato strips in with a splash of water. Microwave on high for 5-7 minutes until the potatoes are mostly cooked through.
   
4. Put the vegetable oil into a large ziplock bag and then (carefully- it’s hot) pour in the potatoes. Seal the bag and rub the oil onto the fries. Re-open the bag and add in the spices. Seal again and massage everything around.
   
5. Pour the fries onto a cookie sheet onto a single layer. (I like to line the pan with foil for easy clean up!) Place chunks of onion around the fries to add aromatic flavoring while they bake.
   
6. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, flipping once, until the fries are crisped.