The Easiest Cranberry Sauce
Your table is set. Your spread is gorgeous. Turkey that has been roasted for hours sits next to liquid gold in a gravy boat that only comes out once a year. Maybe your grandmother brought her secret stuffing recipe, next to a macaroni and cheese with eight different hand-shredded cheeses. And then you see it: a ridged, wobbly mass on a lone sad plate. One has to ask…does she even go here?
Here, let me help you. Get you some fresh cranberries and make the easiest cranberry sauce ever. It’s only a few steps more than opening a can and I promise you will never ever go back.
Clementines
Cranberries are naturally very tart. Most recipes call for oranges, which I find to be a little watery and tart themselves. Just use 2 to 3 clementines depending on their size. Your goal should be to produce at least 1 cup of juice. They are usually sold by the bag, so enjoy the leftover snacks.
Cranberries
Either frozen or fresh, they are the star of the show. Cranberries, like blueberries, are high in pectin which is the thickening ingredient you add to make jelly. That’s what makes this recipe so easy! The cranberries, much like me after Thanksgiving leftovers, will thicken naturally 🙂
What you can substitute: If you want to use light brown sugar instead of white, expect to get a darker more maple-y flavor. If you are making this for Thanksgiving, consider that cranberry sauce is usually there to add brightness and cut through all the heavy flavors of the meal. If you want to add honey or maple syrup, only use half a cup of honey with half a cup of sugar at the most. Add tablespoons of water until you get the consistency you want.You can use an orange instead of clementines but it will not be nearly as sweet.
Make this a day or two ahead of time. Not only do you want the sauce to chill, but the flavors are so much better after they’ve had some time to sit together overnight. It will definitely help to save you some holiday meal prep time.
The Easiest Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup of clementine juice
- 2 tbsp clementine zest
Instructions
- For fresh cranberries, thoroughly rinse them. Toss them in a sauce pan over medium heat. Slice your clementines in half and juice them until you have one cup of clementine juice. Zest your clementine rind and leave off to the side.
- After about ten minutes, you should hear the cranberry skins popping in the pan. At this time, add your sugar and stir. Add the clementine juice and 1 tablespoon of zest and stir again.
- Once your sauce begins to bubble, take the back of a rubber spatula and press down, popping the cranberries. You want to squish about half of them. Stir to release the juices. Once your sauce coats the back of your spatula. Remove the saucepan from heat to cool. Once your pan is cool enough to touch the outside, transfer your sauce into a pretty serving tray. Top with your remaining zest and chill in your fridge at least 4 hours.
