The Divine Dish

My Favorite Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Posted on Nov 19, 2011 under Archives, Recipes | No Comment

It’s that time of year again.  My favorite cooking time during the holiday season is just before Thanksgiving when I make my famous cranberry sauce.  I never understood why people buy the stuff in a can when in takes only 15 minutes to make fresh cranberry sauce.  Once I give a neighbor, co-worker, or friend my cranberry sauce they immediately either annually request that I make them a jar or that I provide my recipe.  So, to save diners everywhere from the dreaded wobbly horrible canned sauce, I am posting the recipe up on the divine dish blog.

This recipe usually makes three small jars of cranberry sauce (if you plan to give them as gifts).  If you are keeping it for your Thanksgiving Day meal it will easily be enough for at least 10 people and you will have some leftover to use as a condiment to spread on muffins or toast or use as a side with chicken or pork.  I usually make this at least four days before Thanksgiving and leave it in the fridge until turkey day.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

3 cloves

2   3-inch cinnamon sticks

grated zest of one large orange

1  12 ounce bag fresh cranberries

Bring the first four ingredients, water, sugar, cloves and cinnamon, to a boil in a large pot.  Cook, stirring until the ingredients turn into a clear syrup.  This should take about 5 minutes.

Add in the cranberries.

While the cranberries are cooking, zest one large orange.

The cranberries should begin to pop and foam producing a bright pink color.

The cranberries will then become thicker and darker.

Add the orange zest and stir so it is mixed throughout the sauce.

The sauce is done when it is dark red and a thick consistency.  I usually spoon it into small jars for gifts or fill a plastic storage container and keep it until turkey day.