What do people do with cranberries?

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SusieB

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What do people do with cranberries?
« on: October 26, 2013, 07:38 »
A new cranberry thread.  I have some spare pond liner and I am thinking of making a boggy garden for cranberries and blueberries.  I've already got a bog, but it was half filled with mushroom compost and is very alkaline ::)

I like the idea of cranberries, but I am wary of growing too much stuff that needs a load of sugar.  What do people do with their cranberries.

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allotmentann

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Re: What do people do with cranberries?
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2013, 08:45 »
The American websites have tonnes of recipes using dried cranberries, in the same way that we use raisins and sultanas. I don't know how feasible it would be to dry them though. I love the sour pop of flavour that they give to cookies etc.
I would take a look at recipes on websites like Epicurious and foodnetwork for both fresh and dried recipes.
I am sure in another thread Trillium was saying she grows them, so I am sure she will be along with some good ideas soon.     :)

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Trillium

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Re: What do people do with cranberries?
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2013, 16:23 »
Cranberries are quite puckery (sour) so they do need sweetening of some sort. The more healthy way is to sweeten with apple juice.

Over here we love them dried sweet to add to granola, muffins, loaves, trail mix, etc. Fruit leather is also great.

They can be frozen whole then added to baked goods or certain meat dishes.

Primarily they're juiced for drinking and straight cranberries will definitely need sweetening of some sort unless you can easily handle very tart drinks. Quite often cranberries are mixed with another flavour for juice, like cran/rasp or cran/grape or cran/pomegranate, again, sweetened somehow.

Also, they're made into either jelly or a whole berry jelly to serve with poultry, like turkey which is the most popular. Turkey and cranberry sauce are almost staples at thanksgiving and Christmas.

SusieB - the pond bog is an excellent idea and it needs to be fairly acidic rather than alkaline. Mushroom compost tends to be alkaline.

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Mrs Bee

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Re: What do people do with cranberries?
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2013, 16:43 »
I use them in cranberry and apple chutney as a crimblemas accompaniment to the cold meat.

I also make cranberry and grapefruit marmalade, lemon and cranberry marmalade, cranberry, apple and peppercorn jelly.

Cranberry and apple jam.
 I know they are heavy in sugar but cranberries do need a little sugar to stop the puckering of the mouth.

Mixed with other fruit to make pies, puddings and crumbles.

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SusieB

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Re: What do people do with cranberries?
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2013, 18:22 »
The jellies and marmalades sound fab. 

Never really add puddings, jam or marmalade before I started growing my own fruit and veg.  Will have to get used to all this sugar, at least it's compensated by all the lovely fresh veg I eat. :happy:

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Trillium

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Re: What do people do with cranberries?
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2013, 01:49 »
Mrs Bee, could you share that apple/cranberry chutney recipe, please?

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Mrs Bee

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Re: What do people do with cranberries?
« Reply #6 on: October 27, 2013, 16:45 »
Mrs Bee, could you share that apple/cranberry chutney recipe, please?

Of course.

There are actually 3 that I use, and they do need maturing or they can be a tad sharp.

1kg apples
1kg cranberries
1 large onion, chopped
700ml distilled white vinegar
700g sugar
1 tsp each  of ginger and allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves and nutmeg
2 tsp sea salt
zest and juice of 2 oranges. usual method. Makes a soft chutney rather like a thick apple sauce.

Another one that I do is
400g sugar
500g cranberries
400g crisp eating apples
400g Bramleys apples
zest and juice of 2 oranges or clementine's or mandarins
2 sticks of cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
500ml distilled white vinegar
2 tsp sea salt
Cook all the ingredients with half the apples and half the cranberries.
Cook until soft and breaking down then add the rest of the fruit and cook quickly until thick and pulpy.
Adding half the fruit half way through cooking helps the fruit keep their shape and added texture to the chutney instead of becoming very soft and pulpy.

And the third one is 500g cranberries
400 g Bramley apples
350g eating apples
onions 200g
Dried apricots 250g chopped
500ml distilled white vinegar
400g sugar
zest and juice 2 oranges, mandarins or clemantines
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp sea salt.

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Trillium

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Re: What do people do with cranberries?
« Reply #7 on: October 27, 2013, 20:36 »
Thanks. They all sound yummy. Guess the stove will be cooking again  :D

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Mrs Bee

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Re: What do people do with cranberries?
« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2013, 18:39 »
My pleasure. :)

Hope you like the recipes.

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spottymint

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Re: What do people do with cranberries?
« Reply #9 on: October 28, 2013, 20:54 »
Trillium, I had never heard of fruit leather, but a quick Goog & and all is explained.

Learn something new everyday day.  :)

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Trillium

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Re: What do people do with cranberries?
« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2013, 03:15 »
I adore fruit leather and can eat far too much of it too quickly  :D



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