Just in time for the holidays – and NOW with a new twist: pantry-shelf stable cranberry relish!
I really have no idea why I never thought to look into canning this, my most favorite of all cranberry sauces. One batch makes approximately four pints, which tend to take up a fair amount of fridge space during the month or two when said space is at a premium; and I am always just a little leery of enjoying the last of the relish after it’s been in the fridge for a couple of months.
Enter the boiling water bath.
Simple, reasonably fast – once you get the water to boil, and pretty much fool-proof; leaving you with handy pint-sized jars of cranberry goodness to share with friends and family, or to keep on your pantry shelf until needed.
INGREDIENTS
•3 bags fresh cranberries
•3 oranges
•1 lemon
•1-1/2 cup orange juice
•2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
•3 cups sugar, divided
Wash the cranberries and pick through to remove any woody stems or bad berries, then transfer to a large pot.
Wash and dry the oranges and lemon, then zest them all and place in a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
Add one cup of the sugar and pulse to pulverize the zest.
Add to the pot with the cranberries, then juice the oranges (you may need one or two extra to get 1-1/2 cups of orange juice) and the lemon and add that to the pot.
Stir in the ginger and the remaining two cups of sugar and bring to a boil.
Let boil for three minutes, until the berries has burst, then set aside and allow to cool.
Taste after 30 minutes and add more sugar, if you really think you need to, but remember, this is a relish, not a jelly, and you don’t want something too sweet to go with your turkey and stuffing.
The relish will thicken as it cools.
So, that’s it! GREAT cranberry relish with little muss and fuss. Stash it in the fridge and prepare to enjoy the holidays.
Or…
Keep the relish warm, bring a large pot of water to a boil – if you have hard water, add a cup of white vinegar to the water to keep your canning jars from coming out cloudy.
Sterilize canning jars and lids, then ladle the hot relish into the jars, leaving about 1/4 inch head space.
Place the lids on the jars, then, using just your finger tips, tighten the bands.
Place the jars in the boiling water, and process for fifteen minutes.
Remove the jars and set aside to cool on a rack. Listen for the lids to ‘pop’, then check that they are tight – you shouldn’t be able to push the center of the lid down.
Your relish is now sealed and safe to stash on a shelf until needed.
Cool, no?
very cool