Barberry Pickle is a traditional British recipe, based on Robert Kemp Philp's recipe of 1859, for a classic pickle or preserve of barberries that are boiled and stored in a blend of barberry juice, vinegar, salt and spices. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Barberry Pickle.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Barberry Pickle that's derived from Robert Kemp Philp's 1859 volume, The Dictionary of Daily Wants. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
The barberry (Berberis spp is a genus of about 450–500 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs from 1-5 m tall with thorny shoots, native to the temperate and subtropical regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America. Typically they bear bunches of pale yellow drooping flowers in May, which are succeeded by oblong scarlet berries, ripening in September. Several are popular garden shrubs, grown for their ornamental leaves, yellow flowers, and red or blue-black berries. They are also valued for crime prevention; being very dense, viciously spiny shrubs, they make very effective barriers impenetrable to burglars. For this reason they are often planted below potentially vulnerable windows, and used as hedges and other barriers. The berries are edible, and rich in vitamin C, though with a very sharp flavour; the thorny shrubs make harvesting them difficult, so in most places they are not widely consumed. Berberis thunbergii is one of the best for culinary use. They were frequently used in the Victorian era, as this recipe demonstrates They are still made into a candy in Estonia, Lithuania and the Ukraine (known as (Barberis). Berberis microphylla or Berberis heterophylla (Calafate) and Berberis darwinii (Michay) are two species found in Patagonia in Argentina and Chile and their edible purple fruit are used for jams and infusions. Zereshk (زرشک) is the Persian name for the dried fruit of Berberis vulgaris, which are widely cultivated in Iran. Zereshk is widely used in cooking, imparting a tart flavor to chicken dishes. It is usually cooked with rice, called zereshk polo, and provides a nice meal with chicken.Zereshk jam, zereshk juice, and zereshk fruit rolls are also produced in Iran.
Original Recipe
Boil the bruised berries of six branches in salt and water; strain, and add one gill of the liquor to a quart of vinegar, with an ounce of salt, a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar, a quarter of an ounce of pounded ginger, and a small portion of horseradish, sliced : boil and strain then pour it hot over the berries, which has been previously placed in jars; when cold cover closely with bladder.
Barberries, 6 branches; brine 1 gill; vinegar, 1 quart; salt 1oz.; sugar 1/4 tb.; ginger, 1/4 oz.; horseradish, a few slices.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
berries from 6 barberry branches (about 500)
50g salt per 1l water
1l vinegar
30g salt
115g light brown sugar
7.5g powdered ginger
small piece of horseradish, finely sliced
Method:
Lightly bruise the berries, add in a pan with the water and salt then bring to a boil. Take off the heat and strain (reserve the berries). Add 140ml of the cooking liquid to a pan along with the vinegar, salt, sugar, ginger and horseradish. Bring to a boil then add the barberries to a large jar and pour over the hot liquid.
Seal with a vinegar-proof lid then allow to cool before storing in a cool, dark, cupboard. Allow to mature for at least 6 weeks before use.
Barberries, 6 branches; brine 1 gill; vinegar, 1 quart; salt 1oz.; sugar 1/4 tb.; ginger, 1/4 oz.; horseradish, a few slices.