Orange-Cranberry Vinegar
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups cranberries (fresh are best, but you can use dehydrated cranberries)
- 3 cups white wine vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 orange slices cut in quarters
- 2 4-inch cinnamon sticks broke into pieces
- 4 whole cloves
- 5 pint-size canning jars, bands and lids (washed and sterilized)
Instructions
- Use a square of cheesecloth to create a spice bag and fill it with the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Tie it well.
- Place 3 1/2 cups of cranberries and 1/2 cup of water into a stainless steel pan. Bring to a boil while continually stirring.
- Lightly crush cranberries with a potato masher.
- Pour the cranberry liquid through a strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth and let drain. Do not squeeze the cheesecloth.
- Once all the liquid has drained out of the cheesecloth, discard (or compost) the cranberry residue. The cheesecloth can be washed out and reused.
- Pour cranberry juice back into a stainless steel pan, add the sugar and the spice bag. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring continually until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the remaining cranberries and the white wine vinegar.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the pan to make sure the cranberries do not start to burst.
- Remove the spice bag and discard (or compost).
- Divide the orange slices equally between the jars.
- Ladle the hot vinegar into the hot, sterilized jars.
- Wipe the rim, put the lid on the jar and tighten the band until it is fingertip-tight.
- Place the jars in a cold pack canner filled with boiling water. Process for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the water for an additional five minutes, then remove the jars.
- Tighten the bands if necessary so they are fingertip-tight again. Allow the jars to sit overnight to cool, then check the lid by gently prying on it to make sure it is sealed. If it is sealed, label and store the jars in a cool, dry, dark place.
Notes
Jars that are not sealed need to be checked to make sure there are no cracks or chips across the top of the jar.
Do not reuse the lids if they do not seal - instead put a big black X on them and use them for sealing jars filled with herbs or other dried goods.
You can use a new lid and try to reseal the jar or put it into the fridge and use it up.
