I’m a experimentalist by nature. I rarely follow a recipe to a T. I never take the time to read directions. And I will generally try anything once. And this might be why I’ve fallen in love with fermenting things. It’s pretty difficult to have something be a complete failure and it’s easy to adjust with time and temperature.
Today, I’m sharing a recipe for a fermented cranberry topping. This is actually the first time I thought I may have had a fermentation failure on my hands. I opened and tasted it at the seven day mark and boy was it not good. Unless you’re into cranberries that taste like rubbing alcohol. I almost threw it out, but figured I had invested in the ingredients, prep, and fermentation time so far. What did I have to lose by letting it ferment longer?
Fast forward a month and SUCCESS! I have myself a jar of fermented cranberry topping. It no longer smells of or tastes like alcohol. In fact, it smells like fall and Thanksgiving to me. The addition of cloves, cinnamon, and orange juice are aromatic!
You may be thinking, that sounds good but what would I use it for?
That’s a great question. And so far, I’ve used it two different ways.
The first is on top of yogurt. The creaminess of full fat greek yogurt mellows out the tartness of the cranberries, so you can really taste the orange, cinnamon and clove flavors.
I’ve also used it in my daily smoothies! Depending on the add-ins, sometimes I notice the cranberries and sometimes I don’t. It’s nice to know I am getting a little extra vitamin C by including them though. In my usual smoothie of spinach, water, greek yogurt, unsweetened coconut flakes, protein powder and ground flax seeds, I will get hints of cranberry and orange. If I add in blueberries, I don’t notice those flavors.
Now, anotherway I want to try it is on top of vanilla ice cream! I think that would be amazing. Please let me know if you give it a try. 🙂 Ok, on to the recipe.
For Fermented Cranberry Topping, you’ll need:
- 4 cups cranberries
- 1 cinnamon stick, cracked
- 1″ hunk of ginger
- zest of 1 small lemon
- juice of 1 large orange
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 cup raw honey
- filtered or spring water
First, add the cranberries, cinnamon stick and ginger to your food processor and pulse a few times. Just until everything is roughly chopped.
Then transfer mixture to a glass jar.
Next, add thelemon zest, orange juice, sea salt and honey to the jar.
Be sure to use a non-iodized salt and raw unpasteurized honey. This is important in ensuring the contents of the jar will actually ferment.
Fill the rest of the space with filtered water, leaving about 1″ of head room at the top.
Cap the jar and shake until everything is combined. Then remove the cap and add weights and an airlock device. I used the Pickle Pusher from Ultimate Pickle Jarfor this recipe. It’s an “all in one” weight and airlock device. It uses a plunger to hold everything under the brine plus a lid and airlock so you can get a true anaerobic environment for your ferment. It worked like a charm and I loved that I didn’t have to rig up any sort of weight. I will note that after posting this photo on Twitter, the maker of the Pickle Pusher reached out to me to let me know it’s generally meant to fit closer to the top of the jar. I just didn’t have quite enough “stuff” in the jar! It still did it’s job anyway.
Let sit at room temperature for approximately 30 days, then move to the refrigerator. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Don’t forget the vanilla ice cream!
Fermented Cranberry Topping
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Author Alana - The Wild Gut
Ingredients
- 4cupscranberries
- 1cinnamon stickedcracked
- 1inchhunk of ginger
- zest of one small lemonor half large lemon
- juice of 1 large orange
- 1tspsalt
- 1/3cupraw honey
- filtered water
Instructions
Add cranberries, cinnamon stick and ginger to food processor and pulse a few times
Pack mixture into quart sized jar
Zest one small lemon and add to jar
Juice one large orange and add to jar
Sprinkle 1 tsp salt into jar
Add 1/3 cup raw honey into jar
Fill with filtered water leaving about 1 inch of head room
Cap jar and shake to combine ingredients
Remove cap, add weights and cover with airlock or similar device
Let sit at room temperature for approximately 1 month and then move to the refrigerator
FAQs
Both the berries themselves, and the thinned, red-stained honey, can be used in salads, desserts, and tea, or just eaten off the spoon. These would serve as a beautiful alternative to a traditional cranberry sauce at an autumn feast.
Can cranberry juice ferment into alcohol? ›
Fermentation will take approximately 5 days. Tip: Once or twice a day, swirl your container to make sure the yeast make surface contact with all of the juice. Wait 5 days, then taste-test. After 5 days, take a very small sip of your wine.
Is cranberry hard to ferment? ›
Cranberries are tough to penetrate, so this will give the fermentation a bit of a head start. I did this by poking them with a fork all over, but you could also give them a couple of pulses in a food processor. Frozen cranberries can be used instead of fresh, but it is best to thaw them before adding the honey.
Why does my cranberry sauce have seeds? ›
Why is my cranberry sauce so seedy? Cranberries do have seeds inside them. Sometimes, when using frozen cranberries, if it does not cook long enough, the seeds may not break down. This can cause the sauce to taste seedy.
What do Native Americans use cranberries for? ›
Native Americans used cranberries in a variety of foods, the most popular being pemmican, a high-protein combination of crushed cranberries, dried deer meat, and melted fat. They also used it as a medicine to treat arrow wounds and as a dye for rugs and blankets.
How do you use wild cranberries? ›
Wild cranberries freeze very well. They also are great cooked or made into juice. I like to make wild cranberry compote and then jar them in a water bath canner.
How long does it take for juice to ferment into alcohol? ›
Ferment the juice in fermenters with airlocks, taking care to exclude air and insects. Fermentation will usually take three to six weeks, depending on temperature and yeast, and once it has ceased, immediately siphon the cider off the sediment into a clean fermenter.
What fruits can be fermented into alcohol? ›
Any fruit can become wine, but grape juice (and, almost as good, apple juice) have the ideal concentrations to become a happy alcohol accident. Alcohol is the result of yeast fermenting sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
What alcoholic drink is made from fermented juice? ›
Wine is made by fermenting the juices of grapes or other fruits such as apples (cider), cherries, berries, or plums. Winemaking begins with the harvest of the fruit, the juice of which is fermented in large vats under rigorous temperature control.
What is the easiest thing to ferment? ›
Vegetables are possibly the easiest and quickest fermentation: cut the vegetables, place in glass jars and submerge completely in the brine for 1-2 days until fermented (you'll know it's ready once the ferment has developed a ˜tangy' taste). Then, keep the jar in cold storage.
Brown reminds us that fermented foods are high in histamine. “Many people have a histamine intolerance they are unaware of,” he continues, which may explain why you feel worse for wear after eating (or drinking) the fermented fare of your choice.
What happens if you cook cranberries too long? ›
If your cranberry sauce is too thick, it's most likely overcooked. When you cook cranberries (or any berries), they burst, releasing pectin—a natural thickener. The key to a perfect consistency is to allow some but not all of the cranberries to split open—something you'll achieve with less time on the stove.
Why does my homemade cranberry sauce taste bitter? ›
Dear Evelyn: I had the same problem when I first started making my own cranberry sauce. I found out that you should cook them just until they pop. Further cooking will make them bitter, and once that happens, you need to start again.
Is it OK to eat cranberry seeds? ›
It's important to note that cranberry seeds are typically consumed in small amounts and are not as widely used as cranberries themselves. However, if you choose to incorporate cranberry seeds into your diet, they can provide a nutritional boost alongside other nutrient-rich foods.
How do you eat sour cranberries? ›
If they're too tart for you, you can chop them and add a little sugar or any other sweetener. You also can cook them into roasted vegetable platters, pilafs, baked goods, jams, and marinades. To cook them, heat the cranberries just enough that they pop; too much cooking can make them bitter.
What are highbush cranberries used for? ›
Highbush cranberry is used as an ornamental plant and valued for its edible fruits. The fruit is commonly gathered from wild stands in late August or early September, best when picked slightly under- ripe (and sour), and used in sauces, jellies, and juices.
What can I do with bitter cranberries? ›
In addition to softening their abrasiveness, tossing any unbearably bitter berries with sugar can also heighten nuanced flavors.
What to do with leftover cranberries after making cranberry juice? ›
Fresh cranberry juice is often blended with other delicious fruits, and the leftover pulp is just as wonderful. Put that pulp to use with this festive Cranberry Chutney! Delicious spread on crostini with brie cheese or served alongside turkey, pork or chicken.
