Munchkin and Daddy love their cranberry jelly. You know. The kind that comes out of the can in the shape of a can. This year, I really wanted to make my own so I could control the ingredients. I was able to use organic ingredients that were not processed or minimally processed. I decided to keep the skins on the cranberries so I used the blender to create the puree. I also decided to add just a little orange extract for a little brightness. I found the cute half pint jars and used those in addition to regular wide mouth pint jars.
Canned Cranberry Jelly Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds whole cranberries (organic when possible)
- 3 cups sugar (organic, raw sugar when possible)
- 1 cup apple cider (organic, raw when possible)
- 1/4 tsp orange extract or 1 Tbsp orange juice (optional)
Directions:
- Wash and remove any bad cranberries.
- Combine cranberries, sugar, apple cider, and orange extract/juice (if desired) in a large sauce pan.
- Simmer gently over medium-low heat until cranberries are tender. Stir frequently to avoid burning the mixture.
- Press through sieve or food mill OR puree in a blender. If you use the blender option, be very careful as the mixture is hot.
- Pour mixture into clean, hot jars leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe the rims and adjust lids. If you are going to use immediately or store in the refrigerator, you can stop here.
- For processing in a water bath canner, place the jars in the hot water making sure the water covers the jars by 1 to 2 inches.
- Bring canner back up to a boil and then start timing using the following processing times:
- 0-1,000 ft = 15 minutes
- 1,001-6,000 ft = 20 minutes
- above 6,000 ft = 25 minutes
- After processing time has completed, turn off the heat and remove carefully remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing the jars.
- Use a jar lifter to remove the jars and place them on a towel leaving at least 1 inch between jars while they cool.
- Let jars sit for 12 to 24 hours and check to make sure they completely sealed.
Approximate Yield: 3 pints if run through sieve/food mill or 3 1/2 pints if pureed in a blender.
- 2 pounds whole cranberries (organic when possible)
- 3 cups sugar (organic, raw sugar when possible)
- 1 cup apple cider (organic, raw when possible)
- ¼ tsp orange extract or 1 Tbsp orange juice (optional)
- Wash and remove any bad cranberries.
- Combine cranberries, sugar, apple cider, and orange extract/juice (if desired) in a large sauce pan.
- Simmer gently over medium-low heat until cranberries are tender. Stir frequently to avoid burning the mixture.
- Press through sieve or food mill OR puree in a blender. If you use the blender option, be very careful as the mixture is hot.
- Pour mixture into clean, hot jars leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe the rims and adjust lids. If you are going to use immediately or store in the refrigerator, you can stop here.
- For processing in a water bath canner, place the jars in the hot water making sure the water covers the jars by 1 to 2 inches.
- Bring canner back up to a boil and then start timing using the following processing times:
- -1,000 ft = 15 minutes
- ,001-6,000 ft = 20 minutes
- above 6,000 ft = 25 minutes
- After processing time has completed, turn off the heat and remove carefully remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing the jars.
- Use a jar lifter to remove the jars and place them on a towel leaving at least 1 inch between jars while they cool.
- Let jars sit for 12 to 24 hours and check to make sure they completely sealed.