Simple Autumn Cranberry Chutney Recipe
Cranberry Sauce seems to be a bane for me. I try a new recipe almost every year because I can’t seem to find the right combination of cranberries and coconut sugar. I have used orange juice, grape juice, pomegranate juice, pomegranates, fresh ginger, and a whole other slew of ingredients to make Cranberry sauce. This year I saw a recipe in a magazine for Autumn Fruit and Ginger Chutney and I thought what a great idea! Actually, it was the addition of crystalized ginger and apricots that got me intrigued. Of course, me being me, I had to fiddle with the recipe. The original called for a cup and quarter of brown sugar! That is a lot of brown sugar, especially for someone who tries to eat paleo. Coconut sugar is a healthier option with a lower glycemic profile. I am calling this recipe Autumn Cranberry Chutney and it is based off a magazine recipe. I have altered the amounts of some ingredients and changed the sugar and glycemic index. It isn’t completely paleo unless you get crystallized ginger without added sugar or if you make your own dehydrated ginger. It is simple and the result is delicious. It goes really well with brined orange sage pastured turkey.
This is definitely a chutney, not a cranberry sauce. As with all chutneys, a little goes a long way. We found it very enjoyable and it will become a Thanksgiving staple.
Preparing the Chutney
The chutney is simple to prepare. Core, peal, and chop 2 pears into bite size pieces. Next, chop the dried apricots and crystalized ginger into small pieces. You will need roughly one cup of chopped apricots and 1/4 cup of chopped crystalized ginger. Some dehydrated apricots have red spots on them. Are they still safe to eat if you see red spots on your dried apricots? Yes! The red spots are just spots of red, or blush, that are present naturally on the skin of some apricots. Not all apricots have blush spots and that is why not all dried apricots have red spots.
Place 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 3/4 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup chopped crystalized ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large sauce pan. Stir and bring to boil over medium heat.
Once your mixture boils, add the 2 cored, peeled, and chopped pears, 1 cup chopped apricots, 1 12 ounce bag of cranberries, 1 cup coconut sugar, and 1/4 cup orange marmalade. Stir well to combine and bring back to a boil, stirring often.
When mixture starts to become bubbly, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until all fruit is softened and the liquid has thickened. Stir often to prevent sticking and burning.
Remove from heat. Let stand two hours at room temperature before serving or refrigerate and serve chilled. You can make this recipe up to one week ahead of time if refrigerated.
Autumn Cranberry Chutney
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
- 2 pears, pealed and chopped
- 1 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 1 12 oz bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
- 1 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1/4 cup marmalade
Instructions
- Combine apple cider vinegar, orange juice, chopped crystallized ginger, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine and bring to boil over medium heat.
- Add cored, peeled, and chopped pears, chopped dried apricots, cranberries, coconut sugar, and marmalade. Stir well to combine. Bring back to boil, stirring often, until the mixture is bubbly.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes uncovered or until all fruit is softened and liquid thickened. Stir often to prevent sticking and burning.
- Remove from heat and let stand for 2 hours if serving at room temperature. Can also be served chilled and you can make it up to one week ahead.
This was on the menu for our Mossygoat Thanksgiving which was hosted by my mother in a nearby town. Everyone contributed to the meal. Our part was bringing the turkey! It is such a joy to be able to raise our own food and this was probably the tastiest turkey I have ever baked. I followed the roast turkey with citrus and sage recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.
We also contributed balsamic caramelized leeks, carrots, and celery and Adventure girl made gluten-free Frikadeller, or Danish meatballs. Keep a look out for the recipe because that will be coming soon. Adventure Boy contributed a gluten-free three layer lemon pudding pie. My choice of dessert was my gluten-free elderberry orange pound cake.
What did you have for Thanksgiving? Are there any specific gluten-free holiday recipes you would like me to feature? I also am taking requests on what gluten-free Danish recipes you would like to see. As always, I love emails! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the chutney.