# Need recipes for blueberry pie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 15, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261 "2004-07-15T14:31:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Miabella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@Miabella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miabella)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/1 "2004-07-15T14:31:34Z")
I have a craving for blueberry pie, and I’d like to make one this weekend. I want to make something with fresh blueberries and homemade crust, not that nasty Comstock glop they try to pass off as pie filling. Does anyone have a good recipe, maybe from a grandma in Maine, that they would share? I probably shouldn’t tell you that I got this craving last night while reading the pie-eating contest scene in Stephen King’s story, “The Body.” Yes, I’m gross! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/2 "2004-07-15T14:40:18Z")
Blueberry pie is my favourite. And, FTR, my birthday is coming up 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/3 "2004-07-15T15:17:30Z")
4 cups of blueberries 1/2 cup of sugar dash of salt 1 tsp lemon juice 1/4 cup flour 2 tbsp butter Pastry for two-crust pie In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and flour, and toss them well to coat. Let the mixture stand while you prepare the crust. Line a 9-inch pie plate with your bottom crust. Fill with the blueberry mixture, dot with bits of butter, then put the top crust on and seal. Bake in a 425 F oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake another 40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. I try to use fresh wild blueberries (the little tiny ones) but it’ll work with the big cultivated blueberries, too. You can use more sugar if you want, but you probably won’t need to use more than 2/3 cup. For a crust, you can make your own, or you can use Pillsbury refrigerated crust. It’s made of pretty much the same thing homemade crust is made of. ---
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/4 "2004-07-15T15:22:21Z")
Let me just say that, as **Miabella’s** husband, I fully support this effort. She could quit her job and make me pies all day and I would be quite happy. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/5 "2004-07-15T15:36:24Z")
I’ll let others cover the filling part of this effort, but I wanted to share this link: [Pie Crust 101](http://www.cooksrecipes.com/pie/basic-pie-crust-101-recipe.html) This has been the best crust recipe I have used. It consistently turns out well. If you haven’t already, invest in a pastry cloth and rolling pin cover. I finally did, and was so happy. FB ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/6 "2004-07-15T15:56:05Z")
I personally prefer thickening fruit pies with tapioca rather than flour. They come up much less startchy - the tapioca disappears, and the pie stays together wonderfully. Like **Uvula Donor** , I use wild blueberries. Those big cultivated ones are tasteless IMO. Here’s my recipe, probably comes from Cook’s Illustrated magazine: 6 cups blueberries 3/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon zest allspice and nutmeg - a large pinch each or more to taste 3 1/2 tablespoons tapioca, the instant kind 2 tablespoons butter Mix all but butter together and let sit for 15 min or so. Pour into pie crust (whatever kind you like), dot with butter. Add top crust, bake at 400 degrees until top crust starts to turn golden about 20-25 min, reduce heat to 350, back another 30-40 min until crust is golden brown. This turns out great, or so my husband tells me. Me, I think it’s a waste of blueberries, which should be eaten fresh in great handfulls or sprinkled on cereal, frozen with a bit of milk on them (the milk freezes, yum!), or frozen in beer. ---
**Author:** ![Miabella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@Miabella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miabella)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/7 "2004-07-15T16:48:57Z")
Thanks, these look great! I agree about wild blueberries, they are far superior in flavor. I grew up in northern New England, and we used to be able to pick wild blueberries that grew near my house. I haven’t had blueberries like that in years. We have a farmer’s market near our house, I’m going to look there for berries because I know Safeway won’t have what I want. Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/8 "2004-07-15T17:40:33Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I personally prefer thickening fruit pies with tapioca rather than flour. They come up much less startchy - the tapioca disappears, and the pie stays together wonderfully. Never tried tapioca before, but I think I will the next time I make a pie. I’ve got gooseberries ripe for picking right now, and the rhubarb is still useable, so perhaps I’ll be busy this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/9 "2004-07-15T17:50:42Z")
Hey, my username comes from my profession. This is a thread I can answer! 😛 **Blueberry Pie** 5 cups blueberries 15 tablespoons sugar 5 tablespoons cornstarch 1/3 teaspoon salt 5/8 teaspoon cornstarch butter Toss the berries and the dry ingredients together, making sure the fruit is evenly coated. Place in a prepared pieshell and dot with butter. If you cover with a top crust brush it lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degress Farenheit for about 50 minutes, or until top crust is a rich golden color. Let the pie cool completely before cutting If you want a streusel topping, place 6-1/2 ounces softened butter, 6-1/2 ounces white sugar, 1/8 teaspoon baking powder, and 8 ounces flour in a bowl. Use your fingertips to blend the ingredients into a crumbly mix, which you then distribute evely over the pie filling. Bake until streusel is golden. ---
**Author:** ![Miabella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@Miabella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miabella)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/10 "2004-07-15T19:09:50Z")
Here’s another question: what are the relative merits of each of the thickeners mentioned thus far (flour, tapioca, and cornstarch)? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/11 "2004-07-15T20:29:37Z")
> [@Miabella](#): > > Here’s another question: what are the relative merits of each of the thickeners mentioned thus far (flour, tapioca, and cornstarch)? 😕 Personally, I prefer using the tapioca. Flour doesn’t thicken well enough, and cornstarch can get kind of slimy. But, the tapioca is the most expensive of the alternatives. We just had a thread about making pies just a few weeks ago: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=264743&highlight=blueberry](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=264743&highlight=blueberry) ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/12 "2004-07-15T22:27:17Z")
May I recommend “picking over” the blueberries very carefully, one-by-one. My blueberry pie would have been delicious except for the little bits of blueberry stem in every bite. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-recipes-for-blueberry-pie/255261/13 "2004-07-15T23:10:31Z")
Haven’t tried this with pie yet, but it worked splendidly with last summer’s various batches of jam: if you want a bit of a different flavor, you might try adding a bit of ginger (fresh or powdered), almond extract, or Grand Marnier.