Recipe: Grilled Chicken with Blackberry-Ginger Sauce

Yesterday at the Byrd House Market we scored a big bucket of Agriberry jam blackberries.  We plan to make jam with most of the berries, but tonight I wanted to try something different.

While Daniel grilled one of our chickens I made the blackberry sauce. 

Our favorite way to grill Tuckahoe chicken is in two-halves.  Cutting the chicken down the middle helps it cook more quickly and evenly than a whole bird on the grill.  Because the majority of our chickens' diet is fresh grasses supplemented with minimal local grains, the flavor of the bird is outstanding.  

To bring out the flavor of our pastured chickens, we simply brush the bird with a small amount of melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill.  

Blackberry Ginger Sauce

For the sauce, I gathered a pint of blackberries and put them in a sauce pan on medium heat.  While the berries were heating, I grabbed my potato masher and squished the berries as much as a I could.  

Next, I add 1/3 cup of white wine and stir while the berries began to simmer.  To the wine and berry mixture, I add the juice of half of a lime, a pinch of ground ginger, and a table-spoonfull of brown sugar.  Stir, turn the stove to low and allow to simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.   Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before serving.   

When the blackberry sauce is finished, it should have a slightly syrupy consistency and chunks of fresh blackberries throughout the sauce.  

Once the chicken is finished, we divide the halves into traditional chicken pieces: leg, wing, thigh, breast.  After dividing the chicken out between the diners, we spoon the warm blackberry sauce on the chicken for an amazing summer treat.   

Recipe for Grilled Tuckahoe Chicken with Blackberry Ginger Sauce

Serves 4-6

Chicken

1 whole Tuckahoe Chicken 3-4lbs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tbs butter 

Divide chicken into 2 halves.  Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill approx. 45 mins until cooked through, turning occasionally 

Blackberry Ginger Sauce

1 pt fresh blackberries (we prefer Agriberry)

1/3 c white wine

1/2 lime-squeezed

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tbs brown sugar

Heat blackberries over medium heat.  Using a potato masher or large spoon, crush warming blackberries.  Add wine, lime juice, ginger and brown sugar.  Stir.  Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to simmer 15 mins before serving, stir occasionally.  Spoon sauce onto grilled chicken.