I have never had canned, processed cranberry sauce. I’ve seen it slide in a can-shaped lump into a serving bowl, get mushed around, and presented beside the holiday bird, but I’ve never tried it. Hmmm, I wonder why? For many years I thought I just didn’t like cranberry sauce. The idea of that bright red, weird-looking jelly on turkey just did not appeal. Until the day I had HOMEMADE cranberry sauce.
It was like my world opened up. I discovered the most delightful tartness to compliment a salty, buttery main dish. So began my experimentation of recipes to further elevate the bouncy red berries.
I have previously shared my recipe for Bourbon Cranberry Sauce. I was tempted to make that again this year, but I had a taste for something different. With the addition of ginger and orange the cranberries really sing. So much so that my husband and I polished off a jar with a roast chicken! The grated ginger adds heat and the candied ginger adds a sweet element, perfect to complement the fragrant orange and tart cranberries.
This recipe is great for canning as there is a lot of natural pectin in cranberries to make the sauce quite thick. This is a large batch that will make 16-18 x 1 cup jars. I made two different sizes–small family and large family sizes–as once opened it will only last in the fridge for a week or so.
Ingredients:
- 8 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups sugar
- Zest and juice of one orange
- 2 thumbs fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
- 1 cup chopped candied ginger
Make it!
Boil the water, orange juice, and sugar together. Stir to dissolve the sugar to ensure it doesn’t sit at the bottom of the pot and burn.
Add 6 cups cranberries, ginger, and orange zest and cook on medium until the berries burst (about 15 minutes).
Add the remaining 2 cups of cranberries and candied ginger to the pot and stir. Bring back to a boil and then reduce to medium to cook for 10 minutes or until you have the consistency you like.
Ladle into clean, hot, 1-cup canning jars. Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes.
This looks delicious and I’d love to make it. When should you add in the Orange & ginger?
Forgive me if I misunderstood you, but I thought you didn’t eat sugar anymore? Can you make this using stevia?
Hi Mary, you are correct. I gave up sugar completely for 5 years, but now I do have some time and again. I’m no longer sensitive to it after removing it for so long. That said, this recipe is from 2015 when I was still canning a lot with sugar. You can absolutely make this recipe with stevia. Adjust to taste while cooking and when you are done, store it in the freezer as changing any canning recipe means it will no longer be shelf stable when canned in water bath.
Thank you. That is good to know. I am so glad you were able to heal yourself and are able to have sugar once in a while. I am trying to eat less of it and serve it less to my family. My adult son has severe psoriasis and he is learning how his diet can help or hurt it.
I am enjoying your website. Thank you.
Will it thicken after you jar it or does it need to be jelly consistency before you jar it?
Hi Shannon, it will thicken as it cools.