Jellied Cranberry {Cannable}

Homemade Jellied Cranberry

   
     Sharing a wonderful guest post today from my friend Paula.  This is perfect for the Holidays!
I know my brother would just LOVE this! ~Enjoy! Diane

Jellied Cranberry
Ingredients:
2 bags Cranberries, 12 oz each
1 cup of water or cranberry juice
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups of sugar or honey (stevia or splenda will require pectin)

Optional: 1 box Pectin (no/low sugar pectin works best)
Pectin is not needed if you use sugar but, some prefer it. If you use an artificial sweetener or honey in place of sugar, you will need pectin to get a set (jell).

Directions:
Put the cranberry juice (or water) and the orange juice in a large pot, get it boiling.  Lower heat to Medium and add in the cranberries, let cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice (you'll hear the berries popping) Once half the berries are popped and the sauce feels mushy, it's done! It should take no more than 10 minutes of cooking over medium heat.

Crush and strain the cranberries:
A food mill is perfect for this! In a pinch, a sieve and the bottom of a jar to mush them through the sieve will work, but not nearly as easily as a food mill.
Another trick? Use a blender or immersion blender to puree the whole cooked berries; it's not as smooth as the strained, but uses the whole berry.

Once strained or blended, Add in the sugar and pectin and bring to a full boil for one minute
then remove from heat and jar.
If you don't plan to can any, you're done! Just pour into a mold or serving container, chill in the fridge for a couple of hours and serve.

Fill the jars (preferably wide mouth jars) to within 1/2 inch of the top, wipe any spilled cranberry sauce of the lid rim/top, seat a new lid and tighten the band/ring around them. Put them in the waterbath canner, covered with at least 1 inch of boiling water.

Process: If you are at sea level (up to 1,000 ft) boil half-pint and pint jars for 15 minutes and any elevation above 1,000 ft at 20 minutes for half -pints or pints.

RECIPE NOTE:  Cranberries, if you don't overcook them, will usually set on their own. Cranberries have enough pectin naturally to set on their own, but it's a lot more certain to add the pectin and know it will set! If you make jam, you probably have some pectin handy. Adding a half packet of it will ensure a good set.

Recipe Adapted from: Pick Your Own
Photos by: Paula A. *Guest Post