by Recipe by Courtney Lehman (Phillips)
I do need to preface, that I do not follow recipes explicitly, I almost never measure the ingredients and tend to work with what’s on hand. The quantities I do include below will be based on one pound of cranberries. If you want extra to give away, make two batches!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound fresh cranberries (about 4 cups)
- 1 (20oz) can pineapple chunks/diced
- 2 cups sugar (I do half honey, half sugar or half brown sugar)
- 1 tbs vinegar (white or apple cider)
Spices – There is lots of wiggle room here. If you don’t care for something, omit it. The sauce is sooo sweet that you really have tons of room to play with spice – I have added nutmeg and even mace to recipes. You can use a hot chili or pepper of your choice to give it a kick and a different palette.
- 1/2 tsp dried or 1 inch fresh ginger, chopped
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/4 tsp salt
Optional Add Ins:
- small diced apples
- 1/2 c raisins (any style)
- 1/2 walnuts
- diced orange or lemon
PROCEDURE:
1. Strain out all the pineapple juice into an appropriately sized sauce pan. This will “pop” so a deeper or oversized pot is helpful.
2. Add all the spices and sweeteners, vinegar and cranberries, raisins.
3. Cook on medium-medium high heat until the cranberries start to pop stirring occasionally so that the bottom does not burn. Cook until most of the cranberries are all the way popped. If you find the chutney too thick slowly add some orange or apple juice. (Up to 1/2 cup).
4. Add the pineapple chunks and any other fruit in the last 15 minutes of cooking.
5. Add nuts in last and remove from heat. Cool completely before sealing in glass jars.
OTHER NOTES
It will keep in the fridge very well.
It pops and crackles like bacon grease so be careful.
It will completely stain any wooden utensils you use.
I’ve recently read a few mods that add fresh cherries into the mix.
You may find that you need more liquid if you add lots more fruit. Cook it to your desired consistency. It will thicken up when cooling. I usually make mine so that it’s over stuffed and almost no bites are only cranberry, but you could also put less of everything to make it more bland.
When I cook a double batch I put it in a stock pot; a single, usually in my “spaghetti pot”
