Cranberries are very high in natural pectin. If there's anything that doesn't require the addition of the commercial pectin, cranberries would be it.

Just be sure to make the appropriate altitude adjustments for the jell point and you shouldn't have any problems at all.

Carol

According to the Ball book, I should subtract 2º for every 1,000 feet of elevation. I'm at 5,650', so I figure 202º should be the boiling point. Then it says to add 8º to the boiling point, and that is the temp. that the gel stage should be achieved. So the temp. I'm looking for is 210º. Does this sound right? When I get to that temp, is that when I do the sheeting test with the spoon?

Bonnie

bonnie, your math sounds right to me. I start testing my jam a couple of degrees before my jell point, I use the frozen plate method, dabbing a bit on the frozen plate and putting it back in the freezer for a minute to see if it reaches a consistency I like.

I've also learned to turn the heat off while testing, it easily comes back up to temperature if it's not quite done, and you avoid a batch of taffy that way. Ask me how I know. (grin)

As Carol said, cranberries are high in pectin, I don't think you'll have a problem with them jelling.

Annie

If you're not entirely sure even with the frozen plate test, cool and then refrigerate the entire batch overnight. (Cover with a cloth, not a lid, to avoid condensation.)

The chilled batch will show you the finished consistency (or close). Then you can reheat the next day and cook further if necessary or just bottle up.

Believe me, it's very easy to get a nice firm set with cranberries. I've made a cranberry ketchup and a baked cranberry preserve with oranges and allspice and both set up beautifully.

Carol

Cranberries are so full of pectin that it is sometimes hard to not set too hard! May last batch got so hard it almost bounces. When it got to gel stage by the time I got it all jarred, the last had continued to thicken I guess. Like Annie said, make sure you turn off the heat while testing it. That is if you don't want your kids to have a rubber ball to play with instead of cranberry sauce to eat. On the other hand, maybe they would get a kick out of eating a cranberry rubber ball.

I was thinking of making a batch tomorrow, so I was looking over the recipe in the Ball book, and had another question. The recipe says it only makes 2 pint jars. Who's going to go through all of the effort of canning for 2 jars?!? I know we aren't supposed to double recipes for jams and jellies, but what about this one? Actually, I'd like to triple it if possible : )

Bonnie

I make and can homemade cranberry sauce all the time.

My basic recipe - which makes 7 of the 4 oz jars:

2 bags cranberries
2 c, sugar
3/4 c. apple cider

Sometimes I add a bit of nutmeg or clementine dust or other spice.

Bring to a boil, cool a bit, then process thru a food mill.

BWB for 15 minutes.

I have successfully doubled and tripled and even quadrupled the recipe.

bonnie, if it has no added commercial pectin, you can double it, probably even triple it. That's why I like the ones without Sure Jell, etc.

I wouldn't hesitate to double or triple it.

Annie

Thanks, Pixie Lou and Annie!

I still haven't gotten started. Had errands to run this a.m., and trying to decide if I have enough time to can a batch before starting on dinner. Glad to know I can do a bigger batch though!

Bonnie

My triple batch of Jellied Cranberry Sauce is just about to come out of the canner. I meant to use apple juice instead of the water the recipe called for, but remembered AFTER I'd already boiled the cranberries in water. Oh well, I made a note in my Ball book, so I'll be sure to do it next time.

One thing that came up was that the temp got to 200º, and just wouldn't go any higher. So I pulled the pot off the heat, and did the sheeting, and freezer tests, and it had achieved the gel stage. Maybe my thermometer is just not that accurate, but I'm glad I decided to check to see if it was gelling, otherwise I may have ended up with the rubber ball that Gardensewer spoke of!

Bonnie

Bonnie, I'm anxious to know how it turned out, please post when it cools and is all "set up"....

I do seem to have a "plateau" when making jam. I'll get up to about 215F on my thermometer and it seems to stay there forever, then suddenly it goes up to jell point. If you double or triple the batch, it takes that much longer for the stuff to come up to temp too.

Annie

There was a little less than 1/2 a pint leftover, after filling the jars. When the kids and I ate it, an hour or so later, it was the same consistency, and flavor, as the stuff in a can that you buy at the grocery store, which made the kids happy. It looks pretty in the jar too! The only complaint I have is that I don't have a food mill, so I had to use the food processor, which didn't eliminate all of the tiny seeds. They aren't as annoying as raspberry seeds, but if I could make it without them, I'd like it even better.

I'm guessing I need a better thermometer ...

Bonnie

Bonnie,
I don't think cranberries need to come up to 221 to set since they have some much natural pectin. I don't find temperature to be all that accurate anyway. I've made crabapple and quince jelly (both high pectin) and they set around 215. Other things needed to get to a higher temp. I have also experienced the temperature plateau in some cases. This winter I made back to back batches of calamondin marmalade that I had prepared exactly the same way. The first batch set around 215/216. The second batch had to be cooked to a higher temp. After that it looked the same on the plate test, but ended up looser in the jar. I just use the thermometer as one more indicator of when to do a plate test. After doing a few batches, I can start to tell how the bubbles are changing and also how it is looking thicker falling off the spoon. (Although I've never had it react quite like the books say when doing the "sheet" test.) My thermometer is pretty close to accurate. I tested it in boiling water once.
Melly

What is your altitude? That will also influence the setting point for you. Generally that would be 8 degrees above boiling, whatever boiling is for your location.

Since you're in Colorado, I assume that could be an issue.

Carol

Hi Carol,

If you scroll back up to my post on June 11th, I calculated the set point to be 210º at my altitude, which is a little bit less than 6000'. So 200º is less than what my boiling point is supposed to be here.

Anyway, whatever the reason for the discrepancy, I'm just glad that it set for me.

We are still a few weeks away from ripe cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, or peaches, so I'm thinking of making Cinnamon Apple Jelly next, since all I need for that is unsweetened apple juice. It's my kids' favorite!

Bonnie

I've never checked for a set point with my cranberry sauce. As I mentioned, I just bring it to a boil, then take it off the heat, then put it thru the food mill when it has cooled.

If you can it in a wide mouth pint, you can slide it out of the jar and slice it up, just like the stuff you get a the store!