Recipe

Jack Daniels Cranberry Relish

A Tennessee bistro adds a smoky kick of whiskey to this holiday essential

By Emily Daily
Recipe by Jeff Carter

November 6, 2023

Photo: Courtesy of Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

For over a decade, a Jack Daniels–infused cranberry relish has been a staple on the holiday menu at Dancing Bear Lodge, a rustic resort in the Tennessee Smokies whose bistro highlights Appalachian-inspired dishes. Executive chef Jeff Carter says it just made sense to incorporate a Tennessee whiskey into the recipe—to add a “subtle charred, smoky flavor” and to pay homage to their home state. “And because I enjoy sipping on good whiskey on occasion.”

Ingredients

Jack Daniels Cranberry Relish (Yield: 4 cups)
- ¾ cup Jack Daniels
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 medium shallot, julienned
- 2 12-oz. bags cranberries
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp. black pepper

Preparation

In a non-reactive pot, combine Jack Daniels, orange juice, shallots, and ginger. Simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half. Add cranberries and sugar. Bring to a low boil and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and cook until cranberries start to pop. Remove from heat and add the pepper and salt and mix. Cool at room temperature and then refrigerate.

Emily Daily is newsletter editor at Garden & Gun. A native of Lynchburg, Virginia, she was an equestrian sports journalist for fifteen years prior to joining the magazine in 2022. She lives just outside Charleston with her photographer husband, Josh; their daughter, Indigo; two dogs, Ruby and Khaleesi; and pony, Cady.