It's cranberry season everyone! That means a trip to the Cranberry Festival in Ft. Langley and 2 pounds of fresh cranberries for me. I wasn't sure what to do with the fresh cranberries, but after some thought an idea came to me: I wanted to try and make a no-pectin cranberry version of the pepper jelly that I had enjoyed so much at a family gathering last year. After snooping around on the internet the closest I could find was this recipe which had pectin in it. I know that cranberries have lots of natural pectin, so I modified the recipe a bit by using less vinegar to make it easier to jel and adjusting the sugar a bit to compensate. This is what I ended up with:
No Pectin Cranberry Jalapeno Jam
1/4 lb. jalapenos
3/4 lb. fresh cranberries (you could probably use frozen too)
4 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 8-ounce jam jars, sterilized
In a food processor grind the peppers and berries (I used my mini food prep, although it took several batches). Then put them in a large pot with all other ingredients. Heat to a boil, cook for 20 minutes or until it looks like it's ready to set.
Ladle into jelly jars, leaving 1/4 inch clearance. Water bath process 10 minutes.
Store in cupboard for two weeks, then serve.
Serve:
Over cream cheese with crackers, bagels, toast, English muffins, etc.
With pork loin, roast beef, chicken, lamb, and strong flavored fish.
As a veggie dip.
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This jam is a beautiful vibrant red color that I just love. I tasted this jam straight out of the pot and it tasted a very sweet to me, and because of the strength of the sugar and vinegar I couldn't detect any cranberry at all. This might change in two weeks. Also since the jars aren't cool I'm not 100 percent sure if it will actually set up or not.
I tried some with a bit of cream cheese on a cracker and it was great. I think it would also be good in grilled cheese sandwiches, or on a ham and cheese, or as a condiment to meat. Next time to emphasize the cranberry flavor more I might try cutting down the vinegar to 1/2 cup and use only 2-3 cups of sugar.
No Pectin Cranberry Jalapeno Jam
1/4 lb. jalapenos
3/4 lb. fresh cranberries (you could probably use frozen too)
4 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 8-ounce jam jars, sterilized
In a food processor grind the peppers and berries (I used my mini food prep, although it took several batches). Then put them in a large pot with all other ingredients. Heat to a boil, cook for 20 minutes or until it looks like it's ready to set.
Ladle into jelly jars, leaving 1/4 inch clearance. Water bath process 10 minutes.
Store in cupboard for two weeks, then serve.
Serve:
Over cream cheese with crackers, bagels, toast, English muffins, etc.
With pork loin, roast beef, chicken, lamb, and strong flavored fish.
As a veggie dip.
--------------------
This jam is a beautiful vibrant red color that I just love. I tasted this jam straight out of the pot and it tasted a very sweet to me, and because of the strength of the sugar and vinegar I couldn't detect any cranberry at all. This might change in two weeks. Also since the jars aren't cool I'm not 100 percent sure if it will actually set up or not.
I tried some with a bit of cream cheese on a cracker and it was great. I think it would also be good in grilled cheese sandwiches, or on a ham and cheese, or as a condiment to meat. Next time to emphasize the cranberry flavor more I might try cutting down the vinegar to 1/2 cup and use only 2-3 cups of sugar.
