Honey Fermented Cranberries

A project that's great for folks interested in getting into preserving food. It is two or three ingredients. These honey cranberries will blow your traditional cranberry sauce right out of the water.

This recipe works because it comes together in just a few minutes. There was not a lot of preparation beforehand, and you can customize it with other complementary flavors. Are you interested in making cranberry kissed honey for your favorite holiday dishes? Well then, Andiamo, let's go!

When raw honey and ingredients are combined, the liquid from the cranberries gets released into the honey, causing fermentation. This is due to living cultures in raw honey. It changes the texture and impacts the flavor of both elements. Gotta love science!

Two savory and spice ferments to try to include fermented garlic honey and spicy jalapeno honey. Other infused honey recipes, lavender, rosemary, and thyme-infused honey.

• Glass fermentation weight: Feel free to use a glass fermentation wait. But be mindful that there may be the right size for your vessel.
• Ph strips: Ph strips are a good way to learn about how fermentation changes over time.
• Glass jar: a glass mason jar with a plastic lid is my go-to for honey ferments.

• Fresh cranberries: Frozen will work but that's fine but make sure to bring them to room temperature beforehand
• raw honey: First and foremost, raw honey is essential because the live cultures are how this recipe works.
• Ginger: You can add a whole knob of ginger but I find slicing it helps the flavor come through
• Orange juice and zest
• apple cider vinegar, (optional) can aid your interest if you're concerned about stopping fermentation, but it's optional

Pick through your cranberries discarding any that are significantly bruised or moldy.

With a fork or skewer, poke a hole through all the cranberries (through the skin) so the honey can get in. Add berries to a glass container.

Cover the berries with raw, unfiltered honey, Make sure the cranberries are completely covered in honey. Leave at least a quarter inch of headspace from the top of the jar.

As it goes through the fermentation process, there will be a buildup of gases that need to be released. Headspace allows for gasses to build up during the fermentation process.

Add the screw top lid, and put it in a cool dark place at room temperature, away from sunlight for two to three days.

Make sure to check on it every day or every couple of days. For any excess gases, as well as if the honey adds a texture and taste that you like. The honey will change over time.

In addition to burbing the jar to release any gases, it's a good idea to turn the jar over at least once a day so that the honey at the bottom is circulated and that all fruit and honey. This could take two to three days or up to a week.

If you do not have a glass or a plastic screw top cover, you can cut for them with the standard metal band, and on top. Make sure to put a layer of parchment paper in between so that the honey.

There are a few ways to tell that your fermentation is happy and doing its thing. The first is looking for tiny bubbles along the edge and the top. That means the yeast and bacteria are doing their dance, and it's a good sign when you see bubbles.

It will take on a red hue similar to the cranberries, of course, and instead of the slow maple syrup slash molasses flavor, you will get more of a

Then it'll be looser, closer to a simple syrup.

There are many ways to use honey-fermented cranberries in holiday dishes and cocktails.

Here are a few suggestions, but if you come up with any great ideas, please let me know!

• Add this honey syrup to seltzer water and top it with a slice of orange for a quick spirit-free drink
• Make a holiday honey old-fashioned topping it with candy with some cranberries for additional flavor
• Using cranberries and either cranberry relish or making a seasonal cranberry sauce for your Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday dinners will take it to a new level.

The cranberry honey would be lovely on baked brie or topped onto some goat cheese or really just on top of some ice cream sweet, tart flavors complement well with any sort of citrus or rosemary flavor is huge find and the possibilities are endless.

In an airtight container, honey ferments can be stored outside at room temperature but keep an eye out for any signs of mold or anything that looks or smells off. Honey is one of nature's preservatives, there is an extensive history of all cultures using it to preserve food.