Cranberry Conserve

My record of making this conserve is hit or miss because I was arguing on the phone with a person who will be unnamed to protect the innocent------me.  So, taking pictures was a hit or miss proposition.  I was so preoccupied I forgot to add the raisins.  But, I did remember to include the cranberries, so it turned out pretty good, when you consider that I was stirring and testing for the jellying point as I engaged in heated debate (with said unnamed person). 

This is a conserve, which is pretty much a jam, with nuts and dried fruit added to it.   Since this contains cranberries and an orange, both high in pectin, it should gel fairly easily. But, you never can tell with these things. In the event of gelling failure, you wind up with a lovely thick sauce for ice cream. 

Here is the conserve boiling merrily away. Make sure you stir it to prevent sticking.  I used to enter my jams and conserves in the County Fair and the judges were real sticklers about skimming the foam off. I don't worry about that since I'm not vying for blue ribbons anymore.  Competition ruins the jamming experience.

A lot of people don't bother with the hot water bath, but I do. I'm an attorney, and you know how paranoid we are, seeing liability around every bend.  But, many people don't do it anymore. If you don't, the jam can be stored in the fridge for a month.  You can freeze it too.

Horribly out of focus picture, (I was preoccupied imagining strangling unnamed person) showing the conserve hours later after it cooled and was setting up.  It can sometimes take several days before it gels.

Cranberry Conserve  (Ball Blue Book)

Makes about 4 half pints

Do not reduce the amount of sugar. It could prevent the conserve from gelling properly. Do not double recipe!  Do not pass Go!  Do not collect $100.

3/4 cup seeded orange, chopped fairly small  (about one medium orange)
2 cups water
1 quart stemmed cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts  (I like to toast mine in the oven for about 10 minutes first)

Combine the orange and water in a large pot.  Cook rapidly until the peel is tender, about 20 minutes.  Add cranberries, raisins, and sugar.  Bring slowly to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.    Cook rapidly, almost to the jellying point, about 8 minutes (or longer), stir frequently to prevent sticking. Add nuts in the last few minutes of cooking.  Pour hot into hot sterile jars, leaving about 1/4 inch head space. Seal and process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.  Or keep in fridge.  Can be frozen. 

How I check for jellying point:  Dip a cold metal spoon into the boiling liquid. In the beginning the liquid will be a light syrup and run off the spoon quickly.  After more boiling, the drops of liquid will become larger and drop off the spoon two at a time (this is called sheeting).  When the drops run together and fall off the spoon in a sheet, the jellying point has been reached. 

Comments

[Jeff]

I could imagine a terrible clean up if that stuck to the pot!

[gattina]

Sher,
thank you so much for putting up this recipe so quick *smooch* While drooling over your photo and recipe, I can't stop giggling by your humorous post!
Just curious, any reason why I can't double recipe?

[Christine]

Oh yum! Thanks so much for putting this up Sher. Since I have a plethora of cranberries, I'm going to experiment a bit and use Splenda-sugar blend and see if it works in this recipe. Lower carb and all... I'll let you know.

[sher]

Jeff,

Fortunately, I've never had jam stick to my pot--and hope I never do!

Gattina,

Jams/jellies/conserves are very picky and every book or expert I've ever consulted always say not to double the recipe. Not sure why that's so, but they all say that--so I figure they must know something! :):) Making them is not that hard and most of my attempts have been successful, but you also have the odd ones that refuse to gel. It's also not a good idea to reduce the sugar, because the relationship between the amount of fruit and the sugar is essential to make it gel. There are low sugar recipes, but they call for a different ratio of fruit and sugar. There are also jams that you can make in the microwave or freezer. I must say, homemade jams/conserves taste much better than most that are sold in the store!

[mandira]

Sher- this looks amazing. I can eat it without the bread, just slurp it up :) I've never tried making jam at home. Yours is tempting me...

[janelle]

Yum, yum, yum. And I have the Ball Blue Book---and I JUST learned how to can and am so excited! (And yes, I am married to an attorney and am quite familiar with the paranoid complex that ensues from being trained to notice every exception to a given rule or intent... I give my jars a boiling water bath too;)!!). I made blueberry chutney via Christina's cookbook and love, love, love it with pork and turkey. Now I need to try the cranberry!

[gattina]

Sher, thanks for all the details! Will faithfully follow!

[Glenna]

I'm going to have to try this some time.

[aria]

hooray for no raisins! i bet this would be delicious on a bagguette with a liitle butter (or not)!!

[aria]

hooray for no raisins! i bet this would be delicious on a bagguette with a liitle butter (or not)!!

[gattina]

Sher,
just come to report... I "think" the preserves I just made are happy to gel, now they are still quite warm, will double check later.
Seem jelling happened fairy quick. In a minute the syrup was till running, checked again in two minutes it fall off in a sheet. Actually I am not sure if I over-cooked the perserves, and what happen if I did? One more question, do I need to wait the preserves totally cool-off, then seal prior a hot water bath?
Now I looking at yours again, still gasping by the perfect consistency and the sheen! I've already kept nibbling... they're supposed the gift for my sis-in-laws, ha!
Thanks millions Sher, your recipes never make me disappointed!

[Ivonne]

Oh Sher!

This looks just delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe!

[Elise]

For Gattina - I've overcooked preserves and what can happen is that the sugar begins to caramelize, making the preserve taste more like candy than jam or jelly.

Hi Sher - what a fabulous idea for preserves! Sort of like cranberry relish jam. I bet it is terrific with turkey sandwiches.

[Tanna]

Geeze Louise, I missed this one. I've really enjoyed the cranberry things I've done this year but I wish I'd seen this when I could still get the fresh. I must do this one next year!

[sue maynard]

Hi,
I had a recipe for Cranberry Conserve and seems I have lost it and that is how I came to your site!! I only can once in a while, just made Pomegranate Jelly and had success at that and now am thinking of others to make that are pretty and red for Christmas gifts. I thought my recipe for conserve had pectin added to it. I know it was tangerine pieces and nuts, similar to yours. I am worrying about it not jelling. What do you think?

[Celeste]

But how much does it make? I need to know how many 1/2 pint jars to have ready.

[sher]

Sue and Celeste,

The recipe should make about 4 half-pints. Or you could put them in smaller jars too. It jelled fine for me, but you never know with jams and so forth. I've had my failures--even with recipes calling for added pectin. Good luck. Remember--if it doesn't jell, it makes a great syrup for pancakes!

[sue maynard]

Wonderful recipe, just had this on toast and I love it. Bummer for me though....this is the first time I have ever made anything like this and I see that I cooked it too long. It would barely fall off the spoon to get it into the jars. I wanted to give these for gifts but I wonder it it will be too scarey looking when it is opened, being so thick?