Go Back Email Link
–+ servings
jar of chutney with dried pears and cwhole cranberries

Pear Cranberry Chutney

Jani H. Leuschel
Dried pears and fresh cranberries combine in this slightly sour and jammy accompaniment to holiday foods.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Pickles and Preserves, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Indian
Servings 24 Tablespoons
Calories 56 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tablespoon canola oil
  • ½ cup onion, chopped finely
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 cup cranberries, fresh
  • 2 cups dried pears, chopped (can use a combination of dried pears and apples)
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 Thai red chilies, whole
  • 3 star anise, whole
  • 6 cloves. whole
  • 6 black peppercorns, whole
  • ½ cup water, (more, if necessary)
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup orange juice, (fresh squeezed, if possible)
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 Tablespoon stevia sweetener
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 cinnamon stick, optional

Instructions
 

  • Before starting, wash hands thoroughly for 20 seconds.
  • Heat canola oil in a medium saucepan until shimmering. Add onion to pan and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant.
  • Off the heat, combine the dried fruit, cranberries, chilies, star anise, peppercorns, and ginger with the onion and garlic. Mix gently and thoroughly.
  • Add the liquid ingredients, honey, Truvia, orange zest, and cinnamon stick, if using, to the onion-fruit-spice mixture. Stir and bring to a boil.
    (Cranberries should start to pop.) Turn the heat down so that all ingredients are barely simmering. After 10 minutes, taste the chutney and add salt and more honey or stevia as needed if the mixture is too sour.
  • Continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Watch the pot, and pour in more water, ¼ cup at a time, if all the water evaporates. Cook until the fruits are softened and the mixture becomes thick and jammy.
  • Remove from heat. Pour into sterilized jars and proceed with canning. if desired, while mixture is hot. Or, let the chutney cool and pour into refrigerator storage containers.
    If canned, it should keep in pantry storage for 18-24 months. In the refrigerator, it should stay fresh for about two months.
  • Serve as a lively foil to roasted or grilled meats. Fruit chutney is also very tasty on toasted breads or as a topping for rice.

Notes

  • This chutney recipe is very adaptable. If you like hot spices, add another chili or two, or use red pepper flakes in place of the chiles.
  • You can also add other spices that you enjoy, like nutmeg, coriander, or garam masala. Just be careful not to add so many that they compete with one another!
  • As it simmers, the liquid will evaporate. Keep tabs on the consistency of the chutney as it cooks down. If it becomes dry, add water a ¼ cup at a time until it reaches your desired degree of softness and holds together like a preserve.

Nutrition

Calories: 56kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 0.4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gTrans Fat: 0.003gSodium: 26mgPotassium: 102mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword antioxidants, chutney, cranberries, jams and jellies, make-ahead, pears, phytonutrients, relish
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!