Canning Cranberry Sauce - Whole Berry or Jellied

1. Start water bath canner to heat before starting the sauce. The canner can take up to 45 minutes to come to a boil.

For Whole Berry Sauce

1. Add cranberries and water or juice to a large stock pot. Cover pot with lid. (It’s best to cover the pot and leave a crack opened because the berries can “jump” out of the pot when they burst open. Bring to boil over medium-high heat then reduce heat to a high simmer. Simmer about 10 minutes until berries are soft.
2. Once the cranberries soften, mash them with a potato masher for crushed berry sauce.
3. Add sugar. Stir to incorporate. Stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, boil 3 minutes.
4. Ladle hot cranberry sauce into hot half-pint jars, with the aid of a canning funnel. leaving ½ inch headspace. (The space between the product and the rim of jar.)
5. Remove air bubbles.
6. Wipe rim with a damp paper towel.
7. Place hot lid on the jars.
8. Screw on bands fingertip tight.

For Jellied Cranberry Sauce

1. After cranberries soften, run cranberries through a fine mesh sieve or food mill to remove skins and pulp. Return juice to the saucepan.
2. Process half pint or pint jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for elevation. See recipe notes below for details. Start the timer after water in the canning pot comes back to a boil. Let jars rest in the hot water for at least 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter tool, to the counter, placed on a tea towel.
3. Check for seal after 12-24 hours. (Lid should not flex up or down when pressed in the center. If jars did not seal, you can reprocess with new lids or store it in the fridge for a few weeks opened. Jars can also be stored in the freezer.
4. Be sure to label your jars with the contents and date so that you can use it before it goes bad.