Description
Fermented cranberry sauce is an awesome way to get in a hit of probiotics for your gut health, even in the midst of the holiday bustle, chaos, and fancy foods.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 bag whole cranberries, fresh (500 grams)
- 2 cups local, unpasturized liquid honey
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 2 inch piece ginger, grated OR 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- You will need a fermentation airlock for this recipe. You do not need a saucepan or to use a stove top though. Total prep time is about 15-20 minutes, with the fermentation taking 7 days, and up to ten days, during winter months. During summer months the cranberry sauce mixture may ferment faster, within 3-7 days due to hotter ambient temperatures.
- Wash cranberries in a vinegar and water rinse. Then rinse with plain water. Let the cranberries drain.
- Zest and juice the oranges, it is easiest to zest the orange before cutting it for juicing. Strain out any seeds in the orange juice.
- In a glass bowl, combine cranberries, orange zest, and orange juice. Peel, grate, and add the ginger root if using. Or add in the cinnamon if using.
- Warm about two cups of honey until it is liquid and easy to pour. Warm it in warm water, or in a double boiler on low. Create a double boiler by placing a pan on the stove, on medium, with water in it and setting a glass jar of honey in it. Once the outside water gets close to simmering, turn the stove down to three. Do not warm honey in the microwave, do not over-warm.
- Pour cranberry berry mixture into a quart wide mouthed jar, slowly pour honey into the jar. Use a flat butter knife to stir up the cranberries and release any air bubbles. Top up the jar to the shoulders with the honey, make sure the cranberries are covered.
- Secure your fermentation lid and lock on the jar. Set the jar on a plate at room temperature.
- Your cranberry sauce should begin bubbling within 24 hours in a warm environment, the honey will become liquid. If your house is cool, it can take up to 48 hours to begin bubbling. Once it is bubbling, observe and make sure it doesn’t overflow. The fermentation lock means you don’t need to “burp” the jar.
- When the bubbling slows down, or stops, after 5-7 days (up to ten during winter). Remove the air lock and replace it with a standard lid. Transfer the jar of fermented cranberry sauce into your refrigerator. I like letting the homemade cranberry sauce sit for at least 3 days in the fridge to let the flavors really meld.
Notes
Due to the honey, don’t share this cranberry sauce with infants under one year of age.
