My first batch of home canned cranberry sauce is processing as I type. Cranberry sauce is remarkably easy to prepare, and almost as easy to can. I used these recipes as guidelines, just to get an idea of how much sweetener and liquid to use. The general rule seems to be two parts cranberries to one part sugar and water. The National Home Canning web site gives useful guidelines on processing times, which vary depending on the volume of your jars. Additional guidelines on recommended equipment and the necessity (or not) of pre-sterilizing jars can be found here.
I had planned to set aside some sauce for freezing, in case something went wrong with the canning process. Of course I forgot. No matter. I’ve got four half-pint jars of sauce. If they’re all bad, I’ll just make a new batch a day or two before Thanksgiving. I know, I’m very confident.
Here’s the recipe if you’d like to give it a try.
home canned cranberry sauce
4 half-pint canning jars and lids, washed
16 oz. organic cranberries
1 c water
3/4 c brown cane sugar
2-4 TBS honey
spices: ground cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground cloves, ground allspice, about 1/8 well rounded tsp each
- Wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water and set aside.
- Combine the cranberries, water, sugar, spices, and half the honey in a small pot or sauce pan. Simmer until most of the cranberries have burst, stirring occasionally. Taste the cranberry sauce and add more honey if necessary.
- While the cranberries cook, boil the jars (not the lids) and a pair of tongs in a large pot for about 10 minutes. You can use a canning pot or a large pasta pot with a drainer insert to hold the jars.
- When the jars have boiled, turn off the flame and remove the jars with the sterilized tongs, draining the water from the jars as you remove them. (If the cranberry sauce is still cooking, leave the jars in the hot water until the cranberry sauce is ready.)
- Pour the hot cranberry sauce into the jars, making sure to leave enough space at the top (usually about 1/4 to 1/2 inch, check the instructions that come with the jars). Run a non-metal spatula around the sides of the jar to remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe the tops of the jars and seal them well.
- Put the jars back in the pot and bring to the boil. Once the water has boiled, cover the pot and process the jars for 15 minutes. Note that processing time varies depending on your altitude and jar size.
- When the jars have finished processing, turn off the flame and let the jars rest for five minutes. Then remove the jars from the pot and cool on a dry towel for 12 to 24 hours.
- Remove the bands from the jars after cooling for 12 to 24 hours. Lids should be somewhat concave and difficult to remove with your fingertips. Clean the jars with a damp cloth and label and store the contents in a cool, dry place.
Makes 4 half-pint jars of sauce.
