Growing up in Montana, I never realized that huckleberries weren’t a “thing” in other parts of the country. Then, I met my husband and he has lived all over the United States and had never heard of a huckleberry. If you are unfamiliar with huckleberries, essentially they are a smaller version of a blueberry that naturally grow in the pacific northwest, generally in Idaho and Montana and in the mountains above 3,500 feet.
You can only buy huckleberries by purchasing them at farmer’s markets or frozen through the mail if you are not in the area to pick them yourself. If you are wanting to grow them, they grow best in similar environments are those found in Montana and Idaho, but you can find huckleberry seeds online to give it a shot, too. Once you have your seeds, you can use these helpful Tips for Growing Huckleberries from Seed, as well as 10 Awesome Huckleberry Recipes.
Tips for Growing Huckleberries from Seed
First, buy the right kind. Most regions can grow the garden huckleberry variety. It is best to grow huckleberries in a pot for 1-2 years before transplanting them to an outdoor area. Huckleberries are a bush, so they will need to eventually be planted in the ground outside. Start them indoors, just as you would most other plants. When you have a good seedling, plant it in a pot that is large enough to house the huckleberry for at least 1 season. Garden huckleberries produce fruit the first year, but produce more the following years so don’t be surprised when your new plants don’t seem to be bearing much fruit.
Be aware that garden huckleberries are a bit different from the wild growing variety as they are a bit more bitter. If you allow them to look like they are over-ripe, they will taste much better and you may be surprised how great they taste when they are cooked. To get you started, check out these 10 Awesome Huckleberry Recipes.
10 Awesome Huckleberry Recipes
Try this Huckleberry BBQ Sauce from Kleinworth & Co. for a great way to enjoy some end of the year BBQing or tailgating.
Any huckleberry lover knows how good this classic Huckleberry Pie can be. Check out the recipe from Relish.
Raisin & Fig has a great looking recipe for Huckleberry Zucchini Bread. I can practically smell this in the oven right now!
Try this Raspberry Huckleberry Freezer Jam Recipe made by From Here to Paris. My mom used to have many jars of huckleberry jam in our freezer at all times so this brings back memories.
Huckleberries with dinner? Absolutely! With this Grilled Salmon with Pickled Huckleberry Shallot Relish from Feasting at Home you can.
Martha Stewart has a recipe on her website for Huckleberry Cupcakes with Sweet Cream. These sound amazing!
Have huckleberries for brunch with these Huckleberry Crepes with Ricotta Cheese from Huckleberry Country Kitchen.
I grew up enjoying huckleberry everything and Huckleberry Ice Cream is no exception! Try this recipe from Completely Delicious.
This Lemon Verbena Huckleberry Tea Cake from The Bojon Gourmet sounds like something I have been missing all of my life.
These Huckleberry Lavender Paleo Pancakes from Forest and Fauna sound like a gourmet delight! I can’t wait to try them.
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