Cranberry Sauce Recipe for Home Canning
Hello November!!!
Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner and so I thought now would be the perfect time to share this quick and easy cranberry sauce recipe for home canning. I made another batch last night and it was so good, I think I might have to make a third and give it as gifts during Thanksgiving week.
Any day now you should start to see fresh cranberries in the stores {certainly if you haven’t already}. And I don’t know about you, but I especially like to stock up on cranberries since they’re a seasonal item.
Basically I like to pop a few extra bags in the freezer for later use, otherwise I feel like I’ll miss out. But hey, that’s just me. There always seems to be a new recipe online that I haven’t tried before and I just like to be prepared. Especially when it comes to the dessert department. 😉
So if you’re like me, do yourself a favor and grab a few bags of cranberries and whip this recipe up pronto. Because really, this cranberry sauce recipe for home canning is so spot on, you may want to make more than one batch.
Because seriously, it’s so good! Did I mention that?
Not only will you and your guests be able to enjoy this cranberry sauce alongside your own turkey or ham, but it certainly makes a nice little take home gift if you’re having guests over during the holidays and want to send them home with a few leftovers.
Basically, Thanksgiving and cranberries, they go together like peas and carrots.
It’s almost like you can’t have Thanksgiving without a little cranberry sauce on the table. But maybe that’s just at our house?
And so it begins… Thanksgiving and relatives and elastic pants and all the delicious food that it brings.
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty excited about that! 🙂
~Mavis
Cranberry Sauce Recipe for Home Canning
Ingredients
4 cups water
4 cups granulated sugar
8 cups fresh cranberries {about 2 pounds}
The grated zest of 1 large orange
Instructions
Fill a hot water canner about 2/3 rds full with water and bring it to a boil.
Combine the water and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Boil the mixture for 5 minutes.
Add the fresh cranberries and return the mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat and boil the mixture gently, stirring frequently until all the berries burst and the liquid begins to thicken {about 15 minutes}.
Stir in orange zest.
Remove from heat.
Skim off any foam.
Test to see if it has “set” by spooning a bit onto a cold plate. If it has formed a bit of a skin and started to give a bit like goopy Jell-O, you’re good to go, if not, cook for a bit longer.
When the cranberry sauce is ready, ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Remove any air bubbles.
Wipe the jar rims and threads clean if needed. If using traditional canning jars, cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands on.
If using Weck jars, carefully place the Weck rubber gasket on the lid of the jars. Place the lid on the jar and secure the lid with 2 evenly spaced Weck clamps.
Place jars on an elevated rack in a hot water bath canner. Lower rack into canner. {Water must cover jars by 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.}
Cover; bring water to a boil. Process 15 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. Cool jars for 12-24 hours.
After the jars have cooled, check the seals by pressing the middle of the lids with your finger. If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary. {Traditional canning jars}.
For Weck jars, check to make sure your seal is pointing downwards.
Remove rings or clamps and store jars in a cool dark place.
Yields about {8} 1/2 pints or about {10} #902 Weck jars
Mel says
Such a pretty color!
I don’t can much anymore, but I always make the cranberry sauce (and actually most of Thanksgiving dinner) early and freeze it before things get too busy.
Jennifer says
I have never liked cranberry sauce, although my mama used to make a fresh one that was very chunky and it had fresh cranberries, oranges, pecans, sugar and maybe coconut and a few other items in it. I don’t think she cooked it but it was delicious.
Also, I was in WM yesterday and Ocean Spray cranberry sauce was $1.98!! I don’t keep up with their price, but that seemed exorbitant to me.
Linda says
I have canned cranberry sauce for years and it is loved by my family. I tried your salsa and piccalilli relish recipes this season and they are keepers. I’m going to start canning quarts of fried beans tomorrow and I’m trying to decide whether or not to can 1/2 pints of mushrroms. Have you ever canned them?
Mavis Butterfield says
Dried beans, yes. Mushrooms, no. Let me know how it goes. https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/how-to-can-dried-beans/
Linda says
Dried beans – darn spell checker
Marlene Wurtzbacher says
We just bought fresh Maine cranberries while in Maine- a general store in Port Clyde.
Plan on making cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving here in Vermont.
Ashley Bananas says
I never knew how much sugar was in cranberry sauce! Wow
Torry says
We won’t eat the canned Ocean Spray cranberry sauce, as it has high fructose syrup, which is terrible for diabetics. Real sugar is actually better for us. Small portions, though.
Elese Horton says
Try using Stevia instead of sugar.
if you are unable to use sugar.