Sweet and Sour Blueberry Compote (Sauce Aigre Doux)

5 from 5 votes

A versatile sweet and sour blueberry sauce for canning. Serve with with cheese, game and meats, breakfast or desserts. Makes about 2 cups.

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: French

Keyword: easy blueberry compote recipe, sauce aigre doux recette

Servings: servings

Calories: 561kcal

Cost: 5

1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 oz shallot (1 small shallot or two tablespoons) optional-omit for a sweet sauce
2 cups (8oz) wild blueberries fresh or frozen
½ cup rice wine vinegar or homemade fruit vinegar
1 cup dry red wine use blueberry juice for a sweet compote
1 pinch of kosher salt
5-10 grinds of fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon Grated fresh ginger
1 whole Lemon, orange, or both for zest and juice
1 pinch ground allspice ⅛th teaspoon
¼ cup maple syrup honey or brown sugar

Heat the shallot if using in the oil and cook on medium heat until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the vinegar, bring to a simmer and reduce by half, then add the blueberries and warm them through.
Gently crush the blueberries with the back of a spoon.
Add the wine (or blueberry juice for a sweet sauce), maple syrup, grated ginger, pinch of salt and allspice,
Cook at a brisk simmer until the liquid has reduced and coats the back of a spoon, taste and adjust the seasoning until it tastes good to you, about 15 minutes.
Add the grated lemon zest, 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and any herbs if using to taste.
Transfer the sauce to a container like a mason jar, cool and refrigerate.
For a thick, traditional compote for serving with desserts, reduce the mixture until the pan is nearly dry, then turn the heat off and cool the compote in the pan.
As it contains vinegar, the finished blueberry compote will last for months in the refrigerator. You can also can it and process in a water bath.

This is a tart sauce. The sweetest version, and the blueberry compote I'd make to serve with cheesecake will use ¼ cup vinegar, ½ cup blueberry juice, and ½ cup red wine.
Control the thickness of the sauce by reducing it more. If you want it juicy, keep it wet, if you want it thick and jammy, reduce it more.
Spices like allspice are great here, but you can also add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves.
Fresh herbs add a great flavor for both sweet and savory versions, especially basil and lemon thyme. Add them at the end of cooking off the heat for the best flavor.