One of the best marketing ads of all time had to be from the cranberry people, "buy an extra pack, they're only out once a year and freeze so well, yadda, yadda"... So I do, every year.
That bag was still in the freezer, I decided to make jelly with it.
Cranberries, water and sugar, can't get easier than that!
I used a recipe from ehow.com as my starting point. I find that a bag of cranberries is approx 3 cups.
Cranberry Jelly
Simple ratio:
For every 1 cup of cranberries use 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 C of sugar.
Plan on one half pint canning jar for each cup of cranberries.
- Pick through cranberries and toss the bad ones, remove any stems and wash berries.
- Place cranberries and water in pot, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer until all berries have popped. About 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and push juice/pulp through a sieve with the back of a spoon. Scrape all the good stuff from the bottom of the sieve! Discard skins. I did half of the berries at a time.
- Wash pot and put juice back into it. The juice will be very thick.
- High heat to a boil, stirring, reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- While stirring all the time: Add sugar, high heat and once it comes back to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook 2 minutes.
- Put in sterilized jars and process for 10 minutes in a water bath.
- When cranberries pop they can splatter. I try to beat them to it by crushing them under water as they heat up with the back of my spoon. (A potato masher would work well.)
- This was the first time I've made cranberry jelly. I thought I'd try the recipe as written, it's very good, I would make it again. I also think it would be great with oranges and cinnamon/cloves.
- I wouldn't hesitate to double this if you want to make Thanksgiving/Christmas gifts. (Processing the jars.)
- Straining it removes some of the seeds but some do make it into the jelly.
- This isn't a crystal clear apple type jelly, it's more of a velvety thick jam type jelly minus the skins.
- Beautiful color!
- If you don't want to process it, store in the fridge. Don't know what the Food Police say about how long it will stay good.
- What are we going to do with cranberry jelly? It's good on bagels or crackers with cream cheese. Thumbprint cookies. Would be a great glaze with chicken, ham or pork...
- Have fun!
I'm joining:
