Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce
Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce is a staple on the Thanksgiving table. As one of the very few commercially grown fruits native to the United States, the cranberry symbolically represents an American harvest on holiday tables. While you can buy canned cranberry sauce, homemade is just SO much better. The canned stuff has way too much sugar. There are typically so many heavy dishes on the table, that the tartness and acid from the sauce should welcome a nice balance to the spread. This is a great side dish to make ahead. It lasts for 2 weeks in the fridge or even better, make it in the beginning of November and freeze. Remove from the freezer the day prior and let it defrost in the fridge. I like to use natural sweeteners in the sauce. I freshly squeeze oranges and use pure maple syrup for sweetness. What makes this recipe "just right" are the warm spices and orange peel that I use to enhance the flavor.
Equipment
- liquid measuring cup https://amzn.to/3FL2tIZ **
- small / medium sauce pot https://amzn.to/46WXn8A **
- vegetable peeler https://amzn.to/47iil1h **
Ingredients
- 2 organic navel oranges peeled first then juiced
- 2 cinnamon sticks https://amzn.to/40qbsc7 **
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon https://amzn.to/40riNIz **
- 12 oz fresh or frozen organic cranberries
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste https://amzn.to/45Z4BHM **
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt https://amzn.to/3Sa6PAV **
Instructions
- With a vegetable peeler, peel a strip(s) of the orange peel off, a few inches long. Try not to get too much of the pith (white) part as that's what causes bitterness.
- Squeeze the oranges. You should have about 1 cup of juice. If not, add water so you have 1 cup of liquid.
- To the sauce pot, add the freshly squeezed orange juice / water, orange peels, cranberries, cinnamon stick, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract / paste and kosher salt. Stir to combine.
- Over medium heat, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, until most of the cranberries have burst open. You can always very carefully use the back of a spatula to pop open the cranberries if they haven't all opened.
- Remove from the heat, discard the cinnamon sticks and orange peels. Transfer to a container to cool. Note if it still seems liquidy, that's fine, as cranberries have a lot of pectin in them and will coagulate as it cools. At this point you can freeze until ready to use (if longer than 2 weeks) or refrigerate until ready to use (if less than 2 weeks away).
Notes
** Amazon affiliate - I may be compensated.
* Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. You can use as jam or a fruit spread on muffins or bread. Â
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