Home Canned Cranberry Juice

Canning Cranberry Juice at home is so simple and will be a stand out on your pantry shelf. This is a great beginner water bath canning recipe that is so easy anyone could do it.

Water bath canning is a great way to start if you are just starting out with home canning. I love canning cranberry juice this time of year when cranberries are in abundance. November is usually when they hit the stores but December is usually when they will go on sale. I usually like to wait and grab them at a lower price.

There are 2 ways to can cranberry juice and I like it done both ways. I honestly decided to do it this way because of how beautiful these look in my canning pantry. You can however juice the cranberries and just can up the strained juice if you would like. This is so yummy on its own but I also love to add cherry, grape or apple juice to it.

There are many reasons why I want to can my own cranberry juice. For one you get to chose quality fruit and for another you can control the amount of sugar added. But the last reason is one I am sure we are all feeling… COST. The cost of cranberry juice in the store is astronomical. At my local store I would have to pay $4 or more for some cranberry juice. That is not worth my money and so if we want some juice on occasion I would rather make it myself.

What You Will Need

• Water Bath Canner or large stock pot
• Canning Jars, New lids and rings
• Jar Lifter
• Canning Funnel
• Cranberries
• Sugar
• Lemon Juice
• Water

Step by Step Instructions

• Start by preparing everything you will need for this project. I like to make sure my quart jars are clean and ready to use. These do not have to be hot since the cranberries and ingredients will be cold or room temperature. Next wash you cranberries with some baking soda and water, rinse thoroughly. Then get your water bath canner filled with water making sure you have a canning rack on the bottom of the pot. This will ensure the jars don’t crack when heating up.

• It depends on how many jars you will need based on how many cranberries you use. I used 4lbs of cranberries and got exactly 12 quart jars. Now use your funnel and add 1 1/2 cups of cranberries to each jar. Then 1/4 cup of sugar to each jar. You can always add more or less sugar depending on your taste. Then add 1/2 juice of a lemon or 1 tsp of lemon juice. Fill the remaining space with filtered water leaving 1 inch headspace. You can use a measure to make sure you are leaving enough space. I have canned so much at this point I can eyeball where to stop.

• You always need to wipe the rims with a clean cloth to make sure you get a good seal. Add your lids and rings to finger tip tight.

• Add these to your canner and make sure the water comes 1 to 2 inches over the top of the jars. Then put on the lid and turn heat on high. Once water is at a rapid boil set timer for 15 minutes. Once timer has stopped turn off the heat and remove the lid of the canner. Let the jars sit in the boiling water for a while. Some people take them out after just 5-10 minutes. I like to leave mine in the water for around 30 minutes before lifting out. This will help them to not get shocked a the temperature change. When taking out the jars make sure you are placing them on a towel or cutting board and not a cold surface.

• Leave the jars untouched for 12-24 hours. Then you can take off rings and test the seal by holding them up by the lid. Make sure you label with the date and leave on the shelf for at least 6 weeks before enjoying. This will ensure the flavor has time to deepen.