If you are just beginning your canning journey, cranberries are the perfect place to start. It is the easiest preservation, with only 3 ingredients, cranberries, sugar and water, and a 25 minute water bath. Cranberries are very inexpensive and after Thanksgiving is the perfect time to stock up because they are usually on sale.
First, if you are thinking about decreasing the sugar amount, think again. This version is barely sweet, just sweet enough. Some may even want to add additional sugar.
This method produces a smooth, light juice. Once you go down this rabbit hole, you will be hooked on making your own cranberry juice. And did I mention it makes the perfect cocktail...or mocktail.
Enjoy 6 weeks after processing. I just opened a jar from 2024 and it is still absolute perfection!
Disclaimer: Don't be alarmed when you take the jars out of the water bath as the water will still be clear. It takes a few weeks for the cranberries to begin the letting go of their juice.
Preserving cranberry juice involves no cooking or manual extraction. Mix ingredients right in the jar. Always remember this canning rule-cold contents go in cold jars and hot contents go into hot jars.
