Fermented Cranberry Sauce

Supplies Needed

• Wide-Mouth Mason Jar – I prefer using a wide-mouth jar because it’s easier to get the ferment out once it’s done. However, if you don’t have fermentation weights, using a regular mouth Mason jar can help keep the ferment below the brine.
• Funnel – Helps get the ferment into the jars without making a mess!
• Fermentation Weights – Fermenting weights help to keep the food under the brine. With fruit, because it has a higher sugar content, it’s more susceptible to mold. You want to be sure that all pieces of your ferment stay below the brine level.
• Fermentation Lids – I like to use an airlock Mason jar lid system because when fermenting fruit, which has a faster fermentation time, I tend to struggle with getting kahm yeast (learn more about kahm yeast and if it’s harmful here). You can also use a metal canning lid and band or silicone fermenting lids. If you use a metal canning lid, you will need to “burp” your jars to keep the pressure from building up too much.

Ingredients Needed

Though this is a fermented cranberry sauce, it’s actually made up of a few different fruits.

• Apples – I prefer a sweeter apple for this recipe, so something like a honey crisp or gala would be perfect. If you’re looking for more of a sweet/tart flavor, then you could try green apples. Keep in mind we will be adding salt to the recipe, so the added sweetness helps to balance that out.
• Cranberries – I measured out my cranberries before chopping. Be sure you’re using fresh cranberries for this recipe.
• Starter Ferment – You’ll need liquid from a previous ferment. Something like kombucha, whey, water kefir, etc. Anything that contains the live lacto-bacteria in it.
• Dried Fruit – You can use any dried fruit here. I’m using dried cherries because they’re my absolute favorite, but you could use something like dried raisins, chopped dried apricots, etc.
• Nuts (optional) – Pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, etc. If you want a bit of an extra crunch and texture in your cranberry sauce you can add nuts. I’m leaving them out for the fermentation process and will decide if I want to add them in later on.
• Cranberry Juice – I’m using cranberry juice for extra cranberry flavor, but you can use any juice you’d like. Apple cider, apple juice, even orange juice would be a great option. You may need a little extra to get the liquid above the ingredients before fermenting.
• Sweetener – I’m using maple syrup for my sweetener, however, you can use anything you’d like; honey, sucanat, molasses, evaporated cane juice, etc.
• Salt – I always use Redmond Real Salt in the kitchen (use coupon code “Pioneering” to get 15% off your order at checkout!). The salt is going to help with the fermentation process by inhibiting any bad bacteria growth while the good bacteria have some time to take over.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Core and chop apples into a small dice and chop cranberries and add to a large bowl.
2. Add dried fruit (and nuts, if using) to the bowl of apples and cranberries. Stir to combine.
3. Add your starter liquid (kombucha, whey, liquid from another ferment, etc.) and cranberry juice to the bowl. Stir well.
4. Add sweetener and stir again.
5. Add salt and stir until you’re sure the salt is evenly distributed.
6. Using a funnel, add the cranberry sauce to a clean Mason jar. I used two quart-sized Mason jars, or you could use one half-gallon jar. Make sure the brine is evenly distributed between the jars and that you leave a good solid one-inch headspace.
7. Top the jar with additional cranberry juice until the fruit is covered.







8. Add your fermentation weight to make sure all the cranberry mixture stays under the brine and add your fermentation lid (or regular canning lid).
9. Leave the cranberry sauce at room temperature for two days. Give it a taste test to see if it’s to your liking, then transfer it to the refrigerator. Pro Tip: Fruit ferments only take a couple of days to ferment, creating a naturally acidic environment. The fermented cranberry sauce will keep in the refrigerator for multiple weeks. Though the texture may start to get softer the longer they sit, the flavors tend to get better and better.

Serving Recommendations

Though no one will judge you if you’re found sneaking bites of this straight out of the jar with a spoon, here are a few other serving options for this fermented cranberry sauce:

• Charcuterie Board – Add this in a bowl on your charcuterie board to top crackers with cheese!
• Baked Brie – Take a wheel of brie, bake it in the oven until it’s ooey-gooey and top it with fermented cranberry sauce before serving. Delicious with sliced apples or my 5-minute homemade crackers.
• Breakfast – Pancakes and waffles are delicious topped with this fermented cranberry sauce. Or add a spoonful to your homemade oatmeal for a fresh twist. Make sure you have my homemade pancake mix and my easy oatmeal mix lining your pantry shelf for even faster weekday breakfasts.
• Lunch – Making a PB&J for lunch? Try this as the “J” portion on your sandwich. It’s also delicious on a leftover turkey sandwich after the big Thanksgiving meal.
• Salsa – Take a bit of this fermented cranberry sauce, add some diced onions, jalapenos and cilantro and make a quick and easy fresh salsa for chips or to top your tacos (imagine that salsa on homemade fish tacos, yum!).

Storing Instructions

If you don’t gobble the entire jar up in a matter of a couple weeks, there are some storing options for long-term storage:

• Refrigerator: The refrigerator is where I store my fermented cranberry sauce. Mainly because I know we’ll work through it well before it goes bad. But even if you don’t eat it quickly, it will last a few months in the refrigerator. Just be sure to always dip into the jar with a clean utensil (so if you’re sneaking a bite, don’t double-dip!).
• Freezer: I love that freezing ferments doesn’t disrupt their probiotic benefits. Freeze your fermented cranberry sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to a year. Defrost completely before enjoying and transfer any leftovers to the refrigerator.
• Root Cellar/Cold Storage: If you happen to have a root cellar or a cold storage room, the fermented cranberry sauce can last for several months. But remember, the texture will change, and it won’t be as sweet the longer it sits. Always use properly sanitized fermentation vessels when utilizing long-term storage to avoid spoilage.

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