# Cranberry juice for canning



## Silverstar7337 (Feb 10, 2012)

I want to make cranberry juice using the easy Concord grape method. Just putting Berries in with sugar and hot water and water bath for ten minutes and wait. Will this work with cranberries or do I have to crush them or cook them a bit first. Saw one video online where he pressure canned them but do I have to?


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Gosh I don't know the answer to that one. I'm wondering if they pressure canned in order to get the juice to come out of the berry. I would love a recipe for this myself!


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

I don't know about canning but I have been making a qt at a time b/c I wanted to use up my cranberrries f/last yr. I have been cooking the c. of cran. w/qt of water and letting it sit overnight. I use 1/4 c. of sugar in a qt. When I strain the berries out, I cook them w/ 1/4 c. sugar & use this in my yogurt.


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## Silverstar7337 (Feb 10, 2012)

Made cranberry juice yesterday. Looks so yummy! Won't be ready for a month or so but it will taste great! Super easy too!


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## StaceyS (Nov 19, 2003)

Those do look beautiful!


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## thelendleys (Jun 2, 2004)

can you share your recipe?


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## Silverstar7337 (Feb 10, 2012)

Sure! I tried it two ways. The first:
I put the cranberries in a pot of water on the stove and cooked them until they popped. Then filled quart sized jars a little over half full, added two tablespoons of sugar and stirred. I also squished the berries a bit to make sure any whole ones were popped.

Way 2. 

I just didn't cook the berries first but poured boiling hot water over them in the jars. They popped when sitting in th water. 

Then I water bathed them for ten minutes. The juice will get stronger the longer it sits but this photo was after only a few hours. 

Just strain and serve


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## Silverstar7337 (Feb 10, 2012)

Oh and after adding the berries to the jar, fill with hot water to the headspace marker  with the cooked ones I used water from the pot they cooked in. For the raw berries I boiled the water in my kettle and used that.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Thank you for experimenting and posting Silverstar! I just purchased a case of cranberries and was wondering the same thing regarding the easy grape juice method. I made Sour Cherry Juices that way and it came out great. Now it's time for Cranberry Juice  Thanks again


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## campfiregirl (Mar 1, 2011)

Oh - watch your processing time!!! 10 minutes of processing is for the pressure canner; for water bath, it is 25 minutes. 
I can't wait to try it with cranberries!!! Thanks for the idea!


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

When you get to straining the berries, save the berries and cook w/a little sugar ...we eat it with our yogurt or plain...it is great.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Mine are in the water bath right now


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## Silverstar7337 (Feb 10, 2012)

Tirzah said:


> Mine are in the water bath right now


That's awesome! Post a pic if you can


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

Since I add cranberries to several of my jams, I just boil them in a very light syrup until they pop, mash 'em up a bit in the warm pot, let them soak for an hour or two, and then strain them overnight in cheese cloth over a bowl. The juice gets canned in pints (it's pretty potent, so it's more like semi-concentrate) and the pulp gets added to other berries*, etc. Most of my jam recipes are BWB for 25 minutes, so I just put the juice in there with them.

* I find that just using the cranberry pulp in jams keeps them from completely taking over the flavor of the other berries and fruit.


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## reuben (Oct 16, 2010)

PlicketyCat said:


> Since I add cranberries to several of my jams, I just boil them in a very light syrup until they pop, mash 'em up a bit in the warm pot, let them soak for an hour or two, and then strain them overnight in cheese cloth over a bowl. The juice gets canned in pints (it's pretty potent, so it's more like semi-concentrate) and the pulp gets added to other berries*, etc. Most of my jam recipes are BWB for 25 minutes, so I just put the juice in there with them.
> 
> * I find that just using the cranberry pulp in jams keeps them from completely taking over the flavor of the other berries and fruit.


This is more the way I do it.. more work during the initial processing, but just dilute and enjoy.. no straining..
Although I prefer to squeeze the juice and berries through cheese cloth or umm.. mosquito netting, rather than sit overnite.. I put up about 12 pints of jelly and syrup, and 8 quarts of juice. Still lots of frozen berries out in the woods.. I might not be done yet....


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Oh this is a great thread! I found some whole cranberries in 12 oz. bags for 1.25 ea. I have no idea if that's a good price as I never buy them. I am using the whole raw berries/clear boiling water/sugar method.

I have 6 WMouth pints in the BWB right now, and will be putting in 3 quart jars when that's done! Whoo hoo!


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Homesteader, that is a great deal. The cheapest I have seen them on sale here is $1.99 a bag.

I can't wait to open some jars soon! (okay, maybe not so soon )


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Oooooohhhh, that's just what I'm going to do tomorrow! My friend brought me 4 bags last week that she bought for 29 cents a bag at Aldi, and I already had 2 bags in the fridge. I usually make a cranberry tea concentrate that I serve at Christmas, but the plain juice would be nice to have on hand also. I might try making some jelly too.


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Oh for any one who might want to know, the three 12 oz. bags yielded 6 pints and 3 quarts.

They sure look pretty this morning!


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Homesteader, did you leave the berries in there, or did you make juice and can that? I have 6 packages (16 cups) of berries in 16 cups of water heating on the stove right now...I think I'll strain the juice and can it and then freeze the berry slurry in 2-cup bags for use in muffins...or maybe for pancake syrup...or for yogurt smoothies...or...


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Mammabooh I filled each jar half full of whole raw berries, 1 TBSP. sugar for the pints, 2 for the quarts, filled with boiling water, 1"headspace, BWB 25 minutes.


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

I love this thread. Can you post how you make your tea?


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Here's the recipe as written. I will post my comments/changes at the end.

Cranberry Tea Concentrate

1 pkg. fresh cranberries
3 c. Water
1 qt. apple juice
1 (6oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate
1 (6oz.) frozen lemonade concentrate
3 c. Sugar
10 drops cinnamon oil
10 drops clove oil
2 heaping Tbsp. instant tea ( unsweetened, or steep 2 tea bags in 1/2 cup hot water until strong)

Boil cranberries in the water until they pop open. Mash with potato masher and push through a sieve with back of spoon. Mix cranberry juice with remaining ingredients. Makes 2 1/2 quarts of concentrate.

Mix equal amounts of syrup with water, 7-Up, or gingerale. Mix with water for a hot tea.

My comments... I use whole cloves and cinnamon sticks instead of the oils...I just throw a few into a section of cheesecloth and make a litle bag to throw into the water when the cranberries are cooking. 

If I'm going to be serving this as a punch to be added to pop, I don't add the sugar when I make the concentrate...it's way too sweet for us. 

When I made it a few weeks ago, I used cider instead of apple juice. It made the syrup more cloudy-looking, but that's fine.

I also quadrupled the recipe and got 11 1/2 quarts of concentrate. I tend to cook the berries longer than specified in the recipe, so I don't know if I get more juice from them or what. Anyway, everyone who has had this has loved it...one sister-in-law thought it was weird at first, but, after a few swigs was hooked. 

I call it "Liquid Christmas". If you were so inclined, I'm sure this would also be yummy added to some vodka or other alcoholic beverages.


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

WINNER! We had the first taste this morning. Oh my gosh it is so delicious! Now I wish I'd purchased every bag they had as they were on special.

I used the sugar/raw berries/water recipe. Filled jars half full with the berries.

Thanks to those who shared this!


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

I agree w/Homesteader. I bought 10 bags and wish I'd have bought more. I think cranberries have become my new favorite fruit.


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## happydog (May 7, 2008)

Cranberries are like crack. I bought 60lbs of them and canned them all. I'm eating about a pint a day just as a snack. I canned some whole, for adding to muffins but most of them are jellied. They're good with any kind of meat or just for a snack right out of the jar.

If I can catch them on sale or get a chance to go to Aldis I'm picking up another 30lbs.


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Score! I was so delighted, yesterday I found they still had them at my WalMart for 1.25 per 12 oz. bag, so I got a bunch! Happy dance!


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Putting all ingredients in jar, how much actual cranberry juice, did you get in a quart jar?


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## Vickie44 (Jul 27, 2010)

I also do a couple jars; two cups cranberries ( slightly cooked and smushed ), 1/2 c sugar, fill with vodka. By Christmas it is a nice base for a Christmas punch!


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

We can them without sugar, very ripe whole cranberries in the pressure canner. We use a lot of them for juice.

We strain the juice off the berries. Put the berries in a bowl with 2 oranges, peeled, segmented and each segment cut in 1/3. Add 1 tart apple, peeled and diced and a 1/4 cup walnuts. Make a light syrup of orange juice, a little cornstarch and honey OR maple syrup, stir. Very good salad/relish....James


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

Sandra Spiess said:


> Putting all ingredients in jar, how much actual cranberry juice, did you get in a quart jar?


Guesstimating, a gallon of berries usually yields me a quart of concentrated juice and enough pulp for a dozen half-pints of jam (with other berries).


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