Pickled Cranberries Recipe

Step 1

Prepare a boiling water bath and three pint jars. Place lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a gentle simmer.

Step 2

Wash cranberries and pick over for any stems or bad berries.

Step 3

Combine vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add cinnamon sticks to the brine.

Step 4

Place allspice berries, whole cloves, black peppercorns and juniper berries in a spice bag or tie them up in a length of cheesecloth. Add them to the brine.

Step 5

Once brine is boiling vigorously, add the cranberries. Stir to combine and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the cranberries begin to pop and the brine has returned to a rolling boil.

Step 6

When cooking time has elapsed, remove pot from heat. Pull out the spice bag and cinnamon sticks. Break cinnamon sticks in half and set aside.

Step 7

Using a slotted spoon, ladle cranberries into prepared jars. Cover berries with brine*, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Place a cinnamon stick segment into each jar.

Step 8

Wipe jar rims, apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Step 9

When time is up, remove jars from canner and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and check seals. Any unsealed jars should be kept in the refrigerator.

Step 10

Let jars sit for at least 24 hours before eating to all the flavors to settle.

Step 11

*Save any leftover brine. It’s essentially a fruit shrub and is delicious mixed with sparkling water.