Canning Cranberries: A Guide to Homemade Cranberry Juice

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It's cranberry season, and I love trying new things! Canning cranberries to make juice is a great way to preserve them for long-term use. We are not juice drinkers in our household because commercially processed juices are SO bad for you unless you buy outrageously expensive juices. The thing I love about this recipe is that it is only 3 ingredients and honestly, the sugar is optional. Knowing exactly what goes into our food and drinks is one of the biggest reasons I began my home preservation journey. I want only the best for my children and family.

Another reason I wanted to try my hand at canning cranberry juice is that I recently started a ginger bug. I want to use this cranberry juice to create probiotic-rich sodas (another thing I don't allow in my house) and also experiment with making mocktails for my husband and myself.

Canning cranberries in water allows you to make juice simply by letting them release their flavor and color into the water over time. When you eventually open the jar, you'll have cranberry juice and whole, softened cranberries that you can use for other purposes (like baking or cooking).

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How Canning Cranberries for Juice Works:

1. Release of Natural Juices: Cranberries are naturally high in pectin and have a robust tart flavor. Packed whole in jars and covered with water, the water absorbs the cranberries' flavor, color, and nutrients over time, resulting in a tangy, lightly flavored juice.
2. Water Bath Processing: The heat from water bath canning softens the cranberries, causing them to burst and release even more juice into the water. Over the following weeks and months, the liquid becomes even more infused with cranberry flavor.
3. Mild Extraction: This method is gentler than cooking down cranberries directly on the stove. You'll get a milder juice, but it's perfect if you enjoy a lightly flavored, homemade juice without added sugar or if you want to control the flavor concentration later.

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Here's the simple method I follow:

Ingredients:

• 18 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries (1 1/2 cups of cranberries per quart jar)
• water, if not on a well, use filtered or distilled water
• 4 cups organic cane sugar (1/3 cup per quart jar, optional, to taste)

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Equipment Needed:

- Measuring cups

- 12 Quart canning jars with lids and rings

- Water bath canner

- Jar lifter

- Towel

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Instructions for canning cranberries for juice:

1. Place a wire rack in the bottom of the water bath canner and fill it 2/3 full of water. Set the canner on the stove and turn the heat to high to start the boiling process.

1b. Inspect jars for cracks or chips and discard broken ones. Also, inspect lids and rings for blemishes that could cause an improper seal.

2. Prepare the Cranberries: Rinse the cranberries and discard any soft or damaged ones.

3. Prepare the canning jars: Sterilize your canning jars by boiling them for 10 minutes or running them through a dishwasher cycle. Keep them hot until you're ready to fill them.

I have small children and never know what I will be able to accomplish in a day, so I washed my jars, lids, and rings in the dishwasher the night before. (The jars were not hot when I filled them, but the water I put into them was extremely hot.)

4. Fill the jars: Measure one and a half cups of cranberries ( I used fresh) into your quart jars.

4b. Next, measure in 1/3 cup organic cane sugar (regular sugar is fine if you don't have organic cane).

4c. Finally, fill the jars with hot water. Some say to boil a pot of water. Our tap water is hot enough to scald the skin off your arm, so I just run it as hot as I can and fill the jars, leaving an inch of headspace.

5. Add lids and rims: Wet a paper towel or cloth with vinegar or water and rub it along the jar rim to remove debris and prevent an improper seal. I also leave my lids in a bowl of hot water and use the same cloth to wipe the rubber seal on the lids to remove any liquid before placing them on top of the jars.

5b. Place the clean, dry lid on top of the jar and screw the rings on just finger-tight.

6. Process in Waterbath: Process the jars in a water bath canner, fully submerging them with at least 1-2 inches of water covering the tops. Bring to a boil and process for 25 minutes (adjust for altitude if necessary). Once they have processed for 25 minutes, turn the burner off and allow them to sit in the water for 5 minutes before pulling the jars out with a jar lifter. Please be careful; the water is boiling hot and could cause severe burns.

7. Cool and store: Place hot jars on a towel on the counter to cool for 24 hours before removing the rings and storing in a cool, dark place. Ensure the lids are adequately sealed and do not flex in the center when pressed upon.

8. The Waiting Game: Let the canned cranberries sit for at least 6 weeks before opening and straining them to try your juice. The strained cranberries can be used in baking and cooking.

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When properly sealed, canned cranberry juice can last up to a year. When ready to use, you can enjoy it as-is or dilute it with water or another juice if it's too strong.

I plan on using my juice to make probiotic-rich sodas. As well as fancy mocktails for my husband and me to enjoy once the children are in bed. The best thing about learning new skills is experimenting and trying new things!

Have you tried canning cranberries for juice yet?! If so, what did you use it for?

Happy cranberry canning!!