Can Jam December - Cranberry Mustard

What a great canning year it has been for me!   I've canned some really great stuff this year, thanks to Tigress and her Can Jam.  I've also had the opportunity to teach lots of people how to can things at Ann Arbor Rec and Ed or demonstrating at the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market.   For the last month of the Can Jam, we were requested to can something with dried fruit, and I have to admit, I took some liberties.  First, I decided to make a mustard.   I figured isn't mustard seed the fruit of the mustard plant?   I was hell bent on making a mustard because I am teaching a condiment class this winter and needed to try a few more recipes.   Plus, I am making ham for Christmas and I wanted to have something interesting to serve with it, and mustard is where I wanted to go.   So mustard it is!

I was inspired by a recipe in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving for cranberry mustard that said it was particularly delicious with ham, and it adds color and interest to meat and fish entrees.    I had some cranberries kicking around in fridge from the Thanksgiving holiday.   Dried cranberries could be used - just rehydrate a cup or so of dried berries in boiling water instead of using fresh.   

CRANBERRY MUSTARD 

makes about 5 4 oz. jars

3/4 cup sugar 
1/4 cup dry mustard 
2 1/2 tsp ground allspice 

Bring vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and add mustard seeds. Cover and let stand at room temperature until seeds have absorbed most of the moisture, about an hour or so.  Combine mustard seeds and liquid, water and Worcestershire sauce in a blender. Process until slightly grainy. Add cranberries and blend until chopped. 1 cup red wine vinegar 
2/3 cup yellow mustard seeds 
1 cup water 
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
2-3/4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Bring cranberry mixture to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in sugar, dry mustard and allspice. Continue to simmer, stirring frequently, until volume is reduced by a third, about 15 minutes. 

Ladle hot mustard into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.