Cranberries have been in season for a couple months now, and an easy way to make use of them is in juice! Jams and jellies would also work, but juice is a little easier. You can either waterbath or pressure can the juice in jars to preserve for longer, freeze, or enjoy fresh from the fridge. This recipe is a bit time consuming, so I would set aside at least 4 hours for this whole process.
Start by pouring 3 pounds of cranberries into a large stockpot. Rinse and drain the cranberries, picking out any bad ones you see. Then, fill the pot with water, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace. The cranberries will float. Cover the stockpot and place over medium-low heat. Let simmer for at least 1 hour.
After 1 hour, pour the berries and juice through a strainer or sieve, into another pot or a bowl that can handle high heat. The strainer will catch the berries while the juice filters through. Pour the berries back into the saucepan, fill with water again, and let simmer for at least 1 hour. Repeat prior steps.
Ladle the juice into your sterilized jars, making sure the jars are at least at room temperature before filling. Leave about 1/4 - 1 inch headspace. I like to use quart jars for this recipe. Cover filled jars with a towel until all have been filled.
Load the pressure canner with your jars (I am pressure canning, but you can waterbath instead). Add sugar if desired. Follow pressure canning instructions for fruit juice (5 lbs for 5 mins), or waterbath for 25 minutes.
Enjoy your homemade cranberry juice!
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