Can I can this cranberry sauce?

10 years ago

In my family, cranberry sauce is served raw. I grind up peeled oranges, apples, and cranberries, add a little sugar, and refrigerate the results. It's great and my husband LOVES it.

I am now pregnant and am just starting to get my energy back from the first trimester exhaustion. I am beginning to make/can/freeze what I can in hopes that I will not do a ton of complicated cooking once the baby comes (early in the new year).

I was originally thinking I would make a ton of my cranberry sauce and freeze it, but I am trying to figure out what I can preserve instead of freezing to save all important freezer space for full meals. I was thinking that maybe if I boiled it (making it not raw but similar), I might be able to can it instead?

This is all fruit and a little sugar. Is there some reason I am not seeing that I wouldn't be able to can it? My ratio is about:

2lb cranberries
6 apples
6 oranges
1 cup sugar

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Comments (5)

readinglady
10 years ago
This can be processed if you pre-cook the ingredients and hot-pack it. Basically it's a low-sugar jam.

However, the cooking process will alter the texture and flavor (a melded flavor rather than distinct elements) so you may find you prefer it frozen and raw.

Consider freezing cranberries only during the holiday season and maybe DH can assist in making batches during the year. Since apples and oranges are also available in the winter I don't know if the convenience merits the expense of processing. You might want to focus your limited energies elsewhere.

Carol
digdirt2
10 years ago
I agree that the flavor and texture will be quite different if processed but then it will also be quite different if frozen vs. fresh.

As an alternative you can can the cranberries and then add the apples and oranges at serving time. That would give you more of the raw, fresh texture and taste.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP - Canned cranberry sauce
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I found this info when I was looking up storage time... which I think for the homemade stuff is about a week in an airtight container. It says it needs a full boil for 10 minutes (sometimes I think I may simmer mine a little too much and the boil may be too weak). It also mentions that you have to let it cool at room temperature.. moving it to the fridge to soon can affect the gel. Lastly, they recommend NOT doubling the recipe as it may affect too many variables. (I've personally never had any huge problems..I just let it cook longer). Here's all you ever wanted to know and then some... Hope this helps for next time... Here is a link that might be useful: Ocean Spray Sauce
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lacy, please don't jump to conclusions about me. 1) from oct. 2010- readinglady(z8 OR) Well, she's not going to kill anyone. Cranberries are acid, so they're not susceptible to the really harmful sorts of bacteria. She's open-kettle canning (i.e. no heat processing), which is a very old-fashioned method and with most foods highly risky. It is true the jars "seal" but the seal is weak compared to that obtained by heat processing. Additionally, if the cranberries are shelved there is a higher risk of loss from mold or simply degradation of quality through oxidation due to the air left in the jar. But your cranberries are fine to eat. Carol 2) i mentioned the nchfp APPROVED recipe. 3) i've read other discussions here about pressure canning rather than BWB, i believe it was about jams, which cranberry sauce is except for consistency. sorry, i did note note these for future reference... but, thanks for your concern. pat
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As an interesting aside Cranberry sauce is with mint jelly a left over from the days when people routinely ate fruit pastes and jellies of all sorts with their meat. I also just follow the package directions with a little less sugar, cranberries want to jell and a lot of sugar to make the reaction isn't necessary, and then I run the resultant popped mush through a sieve or one of the various doohickies that I have for removing seeds and skins, put it back in the pot with the sugar and cook to jelling stage. it sets up beautifully and I use a nice mold for a pretty shape as people did in the good old days when any table had multiple shaped jellies. The taste is definitely superior to canned but if tradition is why you have it on the table sliced carefully to match the rings on the can then that isn't as important is it?
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shawnalyn
Original Author
10 years ago
Honestly with a new baby I am looking for stuff I can just open and serve. I am going to try cooking a small batch and see what it tastes like. If it's no good, I will just freeze (tastes pretty similar right out of the freezer to fresh, but I only ever use frozen cranberries to start, so that may be why)
morz8 - Washington Coast
10 years ago
The only recipe I have that's similar is sweeter, more of a jam - but here it is....

8 cups of peeled and diced apple (and firm apple like Granny Smith won't cook down as well)
4 cups whole cranberries
6 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 lemons, zested and juiced

Combine the apples, cranberries, sugar and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, skimming foam. Cook 10-15 minutes, or until the cranberries pop and apples soften.
Add lemon zest and juice and simmer until the liquid in the pot begins to thicken - then cook, stirring until thick and syrup-y.
Ladle into clean jars, process boiling water bath 10 minutes.

I applaud you wanting to do things from scratch, but if you are anticipating busy months with a new baby, 1) your DH may very well understand and make some sacrifices himself, and 2) while it's not like freshly made, Ocean Spray whole cranberry sauce isn't awful. I have a BIL who loves that and keep it on hand for him when our local berries are out of season. He likes it cold so when I know he's coming to eat, I put a can in the refrigerator :)
pattypan
9 years ago
if i remember right, O.S. adds high fructose corn syrup to their whole cranberry sauce. that's why we now make and freeze our own with fresh berries ( or freeze them and make it anytime). i believe Gefen makes it with just sugar and water.

Can I can this cranberry sauce?

Comments (5)

readinglady

digdirt2

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Can I can this cranberry sauce?

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readinglady

digdirt2

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shawnalynOriginal Author

morz8 - Washington Coast

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shawnalyn
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