How picky are you at picking over?

[LostGoddess]

I was feeling all pleased with myself for going out after work and picking a kilo of blackberries. But then when I got home with them, my OH tells me all about his childhood memory of almost swallowing a 'maggot' in a blackberry and then asks me if I am going to make sure they have no blackberry beetles (larva I presume) in them before I use them.... so of course I say yes I will be de-bugging them...
So, two hours later I have individually inspected every blackberry from said KILO! and, it has to be said, relieved them of at least fifty of what I presume were blackberry beetle larva.
I wouldn't mind, but he never told me about how this childhood memory had scarred him for life when I picked the blackberries last year, and I don't remember retrieving a single maggot like creature from those before they got to the pot!

Sooooo, my question is how fastidious are you at de-bugging your harvest, wild crops in particular? And do you have any good tips for doing a decent job in a decent time frame..? because spending two hours per kilo is putting me off picking any more

[Bren In Pots]

I picked 2lb of blackberries this afternoon and all I've done is to soak them in salted water, but you've got me thinking now that I ought to check each one out before I make my jelly tomorrow.

[SarzWix]

It depends what I'm doing with them - if they're for a pie, then I check them over. If they're going to be jelly, I don't check them at all - the jelly bag is going to retain any extra protein that might have sneaked into the pan

[binley100]

Try dunking them in a bowl of salty water with a splash of vinegar then giving them a good rinse with clean water, Saying this I made blackberry muffins today and I must admit I wasn't that thorough. Hopefully no-one wil find any added extras in their muffin.

[rustylady]

Dunk in salty water, rinse then straight into the freezer or pot for making jelly. Jelly bags are really good at getting rid of unwanted items. Also freezer stops them crawling about.

[Bren In Pots]

I'm sure by morning any nasties in my blackberries will have drown, if they've not then the boiling will soon finish them off.

[lynda66]

too much effort lol ... tip em in a bucket of water overnight and the larvae wriggle out before they drown

[LostGoddess]

Thanks everyone. I am glad to see I am not alone in my usual disregard for nasties in my jam ingredients
My usual rule is 'if it can't crawl out in time, it will at least think christmas came early up until the second it expires'.....
or, it will feel jammy before it becomes jammy

[Alison]

Don't really do much at all and I'm still here!

[Bramble_killer]

I rinse them through and if anyone finds anything I hide the evidence

[Two_Sheds]

I'm a vegetarian, so I soak raspberries in salty water. I still can't eat blackberries, following childhood trauma of maggoty berries - I don't like the pips anyway

[Matt.]

Ignorance is bliss and unless anyone finds one they were never there. Who goes looking through crumbles, muffins anyway...!!

[COMPOST CORNER]

Ignorance is bliss and unless anyone finds one they were never there. Who goes looking through crumbles, muffins anyway...!!

Here here.
I've been out this morning and picked wild blackberries and have made (I hope, new to this chutney thing) a beetroot and blackberry chutney. Don't know what it wil be like after it matures, but a bit tangy at the mo.
I sort of looked at a few berries before chucking them in the pan, but then I needed a few more, quickly, so in they went.
It's all purple mush now and the boiling will have sterilised everything.

[LostGoddess]

Yes, I am in the 'ignorance is bliss' camp too. Especially as I make jellies mainly with blackberries, so any unfortunate beasties will get caught in the jelly bag.

CC, I like the sound of your beetroot and blackberry chutney... any chance of posting the recipe?

[Bren In Pots]

I'd never thought of them getting trapped in the jelly bag, thanks

I feel much better about not looking that close at each berry, just wondering does everyone leave the bag dripping overnight or is a few hours fine.