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Fermented Cranberry Relish

This bright, tangy cranberry relish is a fresh twist on a classic holiday side. It’s made with cranberries, orange, apple or pear, and figs, then gently fermented for a few days to develop a lively, probiotic tang. The texture stays chunky and vibrant, and the flavor only gets better as it rests in the fridge. It’s perfect for holiday tables, cheese boards, roasted meats, or spooned over yogurt or oatmeal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
fermenting time 4 hours

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bag fresh cranberries (12 ounces), rinsed and picked over
  • 1 medium orange, zested, then peeled, seeds removed, and the flesh rough-chopped
  • Juice of a second orange (at least ¼ cup)
  • 1 medium apple or 1 medium pear, peeled, cored, and rough-chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried figs, rough-chopped
  • 1/3 cup raw honey
  • grated fresh ginger
  • Redmond salt

Instructions
 

  • 1. Prep the fruit

    Rough-chop the cranberries, the peeled orange flesh, the peeled apple or pear, and the figs.
    Place everything in a food processor and pulse a few times until it forms a chunky relish. Stop before it becomes a puree.

    2. Mix the relish

    Transfer the chopped mixture to a bowl. Add the juice of the second orange, the raw honey, the grated ginger, and the Redmond salt.
    Stir well so the honey begins pulling liquid from the fruit.

    3. Pack into a jar

    Spoon the mixture into a clean jar, leaving about 1 inch of headspace.
    Press the mixture down so the juices rise. If the liquid does not quite cover the fruit, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra orange juice.

    4. Seal and flip daily

    Cap the jar tightly. Flip the jar once a day for 3 to 5 days.
    Each flip helps redistribute the honey and fruit so everything ferments evenly.
    The figs will naturally soften during fermentation.

    5. Check for flavor

    Taste the relish on Day 3. Continue fermenting until Day 5 if you want a brighter, tangier flavor.

    6. Refrigerate

    Move the finished relish to the refrigerator.
    Store for 6 months to 1 year. The flavor continues to improve as it rests, and the honey will slowly thin as the fruit releases liquid.
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