Cranberry Rum Sauce

Wow goodness, this cranberry sauce is boozy! Don’t light a match near it!

Of course, for the jollier souls amongst us, that’s a huge part of its appeal! Plus, it really is delicious.

This recipe comes from the Ball / Bernardin Complete Book (2105.) The recipe writers say,

This uniquely flavoured condiment is wonderful with scones, toasted crumpets or English muffins. But don’t save it just for tea or dessert. It also makes a deliciously different accompaniment to poultry, pork or game.” ^[1]Kingry, Judi and Lauren Devine. Ball / Bernardin Complete Book of Home Preserving. Toronto: Robert Rose. 2015. Page 180.

This recipe makes a lot, so you may wish to cut it in half.

You may also wish to make some smaller sized 125 ml (4 oz) size jars for gifts to smaller households, etc.

There’s also a plain cranberry sauce.

See also: other cranberry products.

The recipe

Jar size choices: Either 125 ml  (½ cup / 4 oz) OR quarter-litre (½ US pint / 250 ml / 8 oz)

Processing method: Water bath or steam canning

Yield: 8 x quarter-litre (½ US pint) jars

Headspace: 1 cm (¼ inch)

Processing time: Either size jar 15 minutes. Adjust time for altitude when over 300 metres / 1000 feet.

3.87 from 15 votes

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Cranberry Rum Sauce

Yield: 8 x quarter-litre jars (half-pint / 250 ml / 8 oz / 1 cup)

Course Condiments

Cuisine English

Keyword Cranberries

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Yield 8 quarter-litre jars (half-pint / 250 ml / 8 oz / 1 cup)

Calories 58 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 kg cranberries (8 cups / 2 lbs)
• 300 g apples (10 oz. Measured after peeling, coring. 2 large.)
• 3 sticks cinnamon
• 8 berries allspice (whole)
• 6 cloves (whole)
• 375 ml water (1 ½ cups / 12 oz)
• 400 g sugar (white. 2 cups / 16 oz) OR 3 teaspoons liquid stevia
• 175 ml rum (¾ cup / 6 oz)

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

1. Wash cranberries, pick out any bad ones, remove stems, set aside.
2. Peel, core, seed, and chop apple. Set aside.
3. Break the cinnamon sticks in half.
4. Make a spice bag by tying the cinnamon sticks, allspice and cloves up in cheesecloth.
5. Add spice bag to a pot.
6. Add water to pot.
7. Add the sugar OR the liquid stevia to the pot.
8. If using sugar, bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Lower to a simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes uncovered.
9. If using stevia, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and let simmer for 3 minutes.
10. Raise heat, add cranberries and apple, bring back to a boil.
11. Simmer gently until cranberries mostly all burst -- about 5 minutes.
12. Remove spice bag temporarily.
13. Mash mixture with a potato masher.
14. Return spice bag to pot.
15. Add rum.
16. Let return to boil.
17. Remove spice bag.
18. Ladle hot sauce into heated jars.
19. Leave 1 cm (¼ inch) headspace.
20. Debubble, adjust headspace.
21. Wipe jar rims.
22. Put lids on.
23. Process in a water bath or steam canner.
24. Process jars for 15 minutes; increase time as needed for your altitude.

Reference information

How to water bath process.

How to steam can.

When water-bath canning or steam canning, you must adjust the processing time for your altitude.

For stevia, Better Stevia liquid stevia was the stevia used.

More information about Sugar and Salt-Free Canning in general.

Recipe notes

• It doesn’t matter if apple goes brown while waiting to be used;
• If you go sugar free with liquid stevia, use a third apple (about 450 g / 16 oz in total) to make up for the volume lost from the sugar. Yes, it’s safe to do so — the acidity of apple helps to make this recipe safe in the first place;
• Use cinnamon sticks that are about 10 cm (4 inches) in length;
• Normally we use 1 teaspoon of liquid stevia to replace 1 cup (8 oz) of refined white sugar, but in this case we felt the cranberries wanted a bit more. You could taste and see what you think before adding a third teaspoon;
• You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. You will want about 3 of the standard 350 g / 12 oz bags as sold in North America;
• You are using a potato masher so that you don’t damage the pectin with the sharp blades of a food processor or similar mechanical device.

Recipe source

• Kingry, Judi and Lauren Devine. Ball / Bernardin Complete Book of Home Preserving. Toronto: Robert Rose. 2015. Page 180.

Modifications made:

• Sugar-free alternative.

Nutrition

Regular version

Per 2 tablespoons

• 58 calories, 0 mg sodium

Sugar-free version

Per 2 tablespoons

• 24 calories, 0 mg sodium

* Nutrition info provided by https://caloriecount.about.com