Quick Pickled Cranberries 🍒⚡️
Recommended Equipment
Quick Pickled Cranberries
Ingredients
Cranberry brine
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup vinegar (apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar)
- A pinch of salt
Aromatics
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split open
- 2-3 black peppercorns
- 2-3 allspice berries
- 1/2 stick cinnamon
Cranberries
- 8 oz cranberries
Preparation
Combine brine ingredients in a saucepan. Heat over medium-low until the sugar dissolves. Keep warm.
Cranberries are high in acidity AND tannins, so when you add vinegar on top of tannins, the bitterness can spike. If you prefer a sweeter or softer result, increase the sugar or use the blanching method in the next note.
Use a toothpick to poke a small hole through each cranberry. This helps the brine penetrate and infuse flavor.
For a smoother, less tannic flavor, you can briefly blanch the cranberries just until the skins begin to split. This won't pop the same as the pricking method, but this softens their flavor.
Add the aromatics and cranberries to a mason jar. Pour the warm brine over everything to cover.
Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then seal and refrigerate. Shake the jar occasionally, since the cranberries float. The cranberries will be ready in 2+ days. The more time you let it develop, the better it tastes. They last 2-3 weeks in the fridge, but may lose shape over time.
