Easy Way to Make a Cranberry Oxymel
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Today we’re gonna talk cranberry oxymel. It’s no surprise I like cranberries. If it is, I apparently haven’t shared my obsession enough, so challenge accepted. When bags of those bright Thanksgiving cranberries start showing up at my local stores marked down to $0.99 (or lower), I stock the heck up.
There’s so many ways to use cranberries that are enjoyable and delicious, but many forget the absolutely amazing health benefits cranberries have because we so commonly drown them in a boatload of sugar to make cranberry sauce. And if you find your medicine in nature, what’s to hate about it. Deliciously healing my body? Sign me up.
All About My Precious Crans
Cranberries are one of the few things that are originally native to North American. The Native Americans ate them, used them as fabric dyes, and also as medicine. The variety we see most often farmed here in the US is vaccinium macrocarpon. Cranberries contain a whole heck of a lot of goodies in them, including some amazing antioxidants, most notably being quercetin, myricetin, and phenols. If you don’t know what those are, research it. Because consuming these antioxidants in their most natural form (in berries) is the most bio-available to our bodies no matter what the big supplement crowd tells you. Fresh is ALWAYS best.
There are multiple ways I prepare and preserve cranberries, and I’ll link those below this blurb, but I have found that in an oxymel preparation, I enjoy it best for medicinal purposes. Second only to eating fermented cranberries like they’re going out of style.
What is an Oxymel?
Oxymels have been around a loooooongggggg time, but I first learned about them when I started making fire cider and elderberry oxymel. I was looking for a way to preserve elderberries for immune boosting without the syrup… I don’t overly care for elderberry syrup because it’s so sweet, so I was looking for a better way for me to take it that was nearly indefinitely shelf stable. HELLO OXYMEL.
The word oxymel is from the Greek words “oxys” meaning acid and “meli” meaning honey. Oxymel. Oxymels are sometimes sold as a “tonic” with honey and apple cider vinegar, so if you purchase one from a health food store or shop, they occasionally will call them tonics as well. Today, oxymels are normally made with equal parts vinegar and raw honey infused with fruit and herbs, both fresh and dried. You can be creative and make an oxymel from just about anything you desire, as they’re not just medicine, but are delicious to use in drinks, like switchels (for hydrating on hot days), a shrub made with my wild soda starter, and for condiments, like salad dressings and marinades.
Stick to these ratios when making a basic oxymel:
- 1 part dried herbs to 4 parts honey & 4 parts vinegar (1/4 cup: 1 cup: 1 cup)
- 3 parts fresh herbs to 4 parts honey and 4 parts vinegar (3/4 cup: 1 cup: 1 cup)
- 1 part fresh fruit to 1 part honey and 1 part vinegar (1 cup: 1 cup: 1 cup)
For me, I play with the standard ratio of honey to vinegar and prefer a more vinegar dominant oxymel. It may not be considered correct, but I don’t overly care for something super sweet. Especially if I’m not feeling well and I need a boost, as with my elderberry oxymel. As long as you have some ratio of raw, unfiltered local honey and raw apple scrap vinegar or raw apple cider vinegar, you’ll be fine. The mixture of the preserving power of the honey and the acidity of the vinegar make this oxymel last longer than you will.
To use any oxymel, I take as a shot with a couple tablespoons, add to tea or cold water to drink, or whatever you want. Remember, it’s food, so you’re not going to really overdose on it. Don’t overcomplicate nature!
What Do I Use My Cranberry Oxymel For?
Not medical advice; just me simply telling you why I make an oxymel and what I like to use it for. I do like to add some dried or fresh thyme to my oxymel just for more powerful decongestion and cough suppression along with potential antimicrobial benefits.
- Sore Throats
- Upper respiratory illness & congested thick coughs
- Urinary Tract Health
- Enjoying Life
Let’s make a cranberry oxymel!
Equipment You Might Want:
- Wide mouth mason jar (any size)
- Clean used canning lid & screw band
Ingredients:
- Fresh Cranberries
- Homemade Apple Scrap Vinegar
- Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (raw)
- Raw Unfiltered Local Honey
- Dried Herbs of choice (I use thyme)
Step 1: Measure & Mix
Into a clean jar, size of your choice, fill half way with clean, fresh cranberries. I prefer to use a half gallon jar because I LOVE this oxymel, but you can do small half pints for that matter just to get your feet wet in the herbal preparation world.
Add in honey to your preference, up to half way full. In a half gallon mason jar, I add about 1 1/2 cups of honey.
Fill the jar the remainder of the way with vinegar.
Add in dried herbs. For a half gallon jar, I add about 1 Tbs dried thyme to my batch.
Give the jar a good stir or shake to combine.
Step 2: Infuse
Place the lid and secure it with a screw band on top.
Shake the jar daily, or a couple times a day, when you think of it to aid the infusion process. I unfortunately don’t remember to do this and my oxymels turn out just fine!
Allow to infuse a minimum of 2 weeks on your kitchen counter or in a cabinet somewhere warm and out of direct sunlight. I have honestly let mine go for months because FORGETFULLLLL and the oxymel jar just becomes decor at some point and they’re fine.
Step 3: Strain
When your oxymel is done infusing, strain through a fine mesh strainer or even a coffee filter to remove the solids. Whatever you have.
Store the strainer oxymel in a jar that is air tight or in a large swing cap bottle (my favorite because they’re easy to pour from). Oxymels are indefinitely shelf stable due to the natural preservative qualities from the combination of honey and raw vinegar.
Step 4: To Use
Pour about 2 tablespoons into a shot glass to take as is or mix into a small amount of cool water or cup of warm water (your choice) to dilute the vinegar punch.
Use as the vinegar portion of a switchel or in a shrub recipe.
Notes:
Use any herbs you would enjoy that compliment the cranberries. This is a better-flavored tonic than the assault that fire cider is. Use a little fresh oregano, fresh ginger, or even bee balm for their powerful benefits to work alongside the cranberries.
This is a lovely winter tonic to have on hand, not only for your health, but to make some fun drinks during the holiday season.
And now you have a cranberry oxymel for respiratory and urinary wellness and support. Be sure and check out my other oxymel recipes like my fire cider recipes for winter wellness!
Equipment
- Wide mouth mason jar (any size)
- Clean used canning lid & screw band
Ingredients
- Fresh Cranberries
- Homemade Apple Scrap Vinegar can use raw ACV instead
- Raw Unfiltered Local Honey
- Dried Herbs of choice I use thyme
Instructions
- Into a clean jar, size of your choice, fill half way with clean, fresh cranberries. I prefer to use a half gallon jar because I LOVE this oxymel, but you can do small half pints for that matter just to get your feet wet in the herbal preparation world.
- Add in honey to your preference, up to half way full. In a half gallon mason jar, I add about 1 1/2 cups of honey.
- Fill the jar the remainder of the way with vinegar.
- Add in dried herbs. For a half gallon jar, I add about 1 Tbs dried thyme to my batch.
- Give the jar a good stir or shake to combine.
- Place the lid and secure it with a screw band on top.
- Shake the jar daily, or a couple times a day, when you think of it to aid the infusion process. I unfortunately don’t remember to do this and my oxymels turn out just fine!
- Allow to infuse a minimum of 2 weeks on your kitchen counter or in a cabinet somewhere warm and out of direct sunlight. I have honestly let mine go for months because FORGETFULLLLL and the oxymel jar just becomes decor at some point and they’re fine.
- When your oxymel is done infusing, strain through a fine mesh strainer or even a coffee filter to remove the solids. Whatever you have.
Storing:
- Store the strainer oxymel in a jar that is air tight or in a large swing cap bottle (my favorite because they’re easy to pour from). Oxymels are indefinitely shelf stable due to the natural preservative qualities from the combination of honey and raw vinegar.
To Use:
- Pour about 2 tablespoons into a shot glass to take as is or mix into a small amount of cool water or cup of warm water (your choice) to dilute the vinegar punch.
- Use as the vinegar portion of a switchel or in a shrub recipe.
