Recipes Using Fresh Cranberries (2024)

FAQs

How long do fresh cranberries last in the fridge? ›

Fresh cranberries are usually good stored in the refrigerator for two weeks. If kept longer, you will find a gradual deterioration of quality with more soft or bruised berries. Berries can be stored in the original packaging in the refrigerator crisper for up to four weeks.

When baking biscuits, it's enough simply to stir the cranberries through. However, if you're planning on using these beautiful red fruits in larger baked goods - like cakes, breads or muffins - you may wish to coat them in a little flour before adding them to your mixture and stirring through.

Anything from a drizzle of honey to agave, maple syrup, or molasses will also fare well. After a few minutes of maceration, the sour fruit juices will mix with the sugar and alleviate some of the cranberries' natural tartness.

Yes, raw cranberries are safe to consume raw, but you probably don't want to eat them that way. "Cranberries are safe to eat raw. However, usually they are cooked and have sugar added because of the bitter and sharp taste they have when raw," says Kelly West Keyser, a registered dietitian in Alabama.

Cranberries contain a substance that can prevent bacteria from sticking on the walls of the bladder. This may help reduce bladder and other urinary tract infections (UTIs). Cranberries (usually as cranberry juice) have been used to try and treat UTIs, particularly in high risk groups such as older people.

Cranberries freeze well when properly stored. They retain their color, good flavor and quality for eight to 12 months. Maintaining a temperature of zero degrees Fahrenheit or below is recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Fresh cranberries freeze nicely. Freeze cranberries, without pre-washing, in their original plastic bag for up to one year. Buy extra bags of fresh cranberries and freeze them for year-round use.

Eating raw cranberries is safe and easy, though their sharp, bitter flavor isn't for everyone. Be sure to clean and sort them thoroughly. You should also consume them in moderation, especially when juiced, as excessive amounts of juice may cause stomach upset or interfere with medications like warfarin.

The confusion comes from the harvesting method, also known as the “wet method.” The cranberry has four air pockets that allow the berries to float to the surface when the bog is flooded and they are cut from their vines. Once they are cut, they are then corralled and removed from the water via suction, as seen here.

There are lots of ways to add this fruit to your diet. Some varieties, such as dried cranberries, cranberry juice, and canned cranberry sauce, are available year-round. The healthiest way to enjoy cranberries is to eat them fresh. Raw cranberries take about 16 months to fully mature and are gathered in early fall.

Should cranberries be chopped before baking? ›

Baking with Cranberries: Cut cranberries in half before adding them to baked goods to prevent them from swelling and popping. Cooking Cranberries on the Stove-Top: Simmer whole cranberries gently in a small amount of water, uncovered, since too much steam might cause them to swell and explode.

Dear Evelyn: I had the same problem when I first started making my own cranberry sauce. I found out that you should cook them just until they pop. Further cooking will make them bitter, and once that happens, you need to start again.

If your cranberry sauce is too thick, it's most likely overcooked. When you cook cranberries (or any berries), they burst, releasing pectin—a natural thickener. The key to a perfect consistency is to allow some but not all of the cranberries to split open—something you'll achieve with less time on the stove.

When fresh cranberries are cooked, they release all their sweet-tart flavor and the jammy goodness (from natural pectins) that makes cranberry sauces and relishes so popular at Thanksgiving. Use them to add zingy flavor to all kinds of desserts and help thicken pie and cobbler fillings.

The cranberry is also a contender when it comes to antioxidant content. While wild blueberries outperform them when it comes to measuring both antioxidant capacity and cellular antioxidant activity, cranberries pack their own health punch.

HOW MUCH CRANBERRIES TO EAT DAILY? Studies confirming the health-promoting properties of cranberries have typically used doses of 100-300 g of fresh cranberries, equivalent to 7-10 g of dried cranberries, and 100-150 ml of 100% cranberry juice.

Consuming cranberries can prevent tooth decay and gum disease, inhibit urinary tract infections, reduce inflammation in the body, maintain a healthy digestion system, and decrease cholesterol levels [2,5,9,10].

It is a long-held belief that cranberry juice supports urinary system health, which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. But while cranberries support your lower urinary tract—from the bladder down—there is no known or scientifically confirmed effect on kidney function.