Fresh Cranberry and Dried Persimmon Sauce
Made with fresh, whole cranberries and foraged, dried persimmons this cranberry sauce is the perfect compliment to any holiday meal. With the added zing of fresh citrus and raw sugar you can be assured that this is a much healthier version of an old favorite. Canning instructions are included as a bonus!
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Raw Sugar
- 1 Cup Water
- 2 Sticks of Cinnamon
- ¼ Cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice*
- 10 Cups Whole Cranberries
- ½ Cup Dried Minced Persimmon
- 1 Cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
- 2 Tbsp. Vanilla optional
- 2 Tbsp. Citrus Zest optional
Instructions
- Juice ten mandarin oranges, 4 blood oranges, OR 2 standard sized oranges and set aside.
- Zest the rind of whatever citrus you have until you’ve reached 1-2 Tablespoons. Set aside.
- Place the sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks into a large pot. Bring to a low rolling boil over medium heat.
- Once boiling, add cranberries and minced persimmon. You may also substitute raisins for persimmons, or any other dried fruit.
- Return sugar mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low-medium and stir continually. Boil softly and set a timer for five minutes – no cheating on time!
- You will feel the mixture begin to thicken as you continue to stir and it will develop a pink foam at the top. Remove the cinnamon stick.
- Once the timer goes off, remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the remaining juice, the vanilla and the citrus zest.
- Cool on the counter, then refrigerate up to 2 weeks if planning to serve with an upcoming holiday meal.
Notes
To can this recipe, prepare as described but omit the vanilla and citrus zest. Remove the cinnamon sticks once the sauce is done cooking. Fill pint jars leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe jar rims, attach seals and lids and place in a water bath canner to process according to canner’s instructions, roughly 15 minutes.
You may add the zest and vanilla to the canned cranberry sauce before you serve it.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!