Cranberry Orange Sauce
Active Time: 15 mins
Cool Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Yield: 2 1/4 cups
Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (from 2-3 oranges)
1 (12-oz.) package fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
2 cinnamon sticks
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
1 tsp. grated ginger
Directions:
Combine sugar, orange juice, and cranberries in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil.
Add cinnamon sticks, orange zest, and ginger.
Reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until 2/3 of the cranberries have burst. Stir occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Remove from burner. Allow the sauce to come to room temperature or chill before serving. Remove cinnamon sticks before serving.
Notes:
Substitutes for Fresh Cranberries:
I love cranberry everything throughout the year, so I often buy extra and freeze them for use when they aren’t available in grocery stores. If you cannot find fresh cranberries and did not freeze some for future use, you have a couple of options.
Frozen cranberries: Some grocery stores maintain frozen cranberries year-round. When making this cranberry orange sauce recipe, you don’t even need to thaw them; just use them as fresh in the recipe. If your grocery store doesn’t carry them (like mine in Florida), there are a number of farms that will ship a larger quantity to your door.
Dried cranberries: As a substitute for fresh cranberries, 1 1/2 cups equals 12 ounces, the amount needed for one batch of this cranberry sauce. The first adjustment for dried cranberries is to add an extra 1/2 cup of berries. Then comes the rehydrating. Boil enough water to cover the berries, and pour it over them in a heatproof bowl. Cover the bowl, and let them sit for 30 minutes. Drain with a mesh sieve until all the water is gone. Then make the recipe, except eliminate the sugar if your cranberries are sweetened (most are, so be sure to check on the package).
The other change with dried cranberries has to do with texture. The pectin (which naturally is released to thicken the sauce made with fresh cranberries) is eliminated during the drying process. You won’t hear any popping to clue the end of cook time. I boiled all the ingredients for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking. You will notice that once cooled, it is not as vibrant red in color, and because of the pectin loss, not as jelled. But the flavor is still that wonderful sweet-tart of homemade cranberry orange sauce.
How Far Ahead Can I Make Cranberry Orange Sauce?
Cranberry orange sauce is a great contender for a make-ahead dish. It’s best served chilled so it has time to set, and it is good in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
I like to make mine the day before, so its shelf life is extended enough for me to slather it on leftover turkey sandwiches, cover my pumpkin pie and cheesecake with it, and sneak spoonfuls when I’m feeling snacky.
Can I Freeze Cranberry Orange Sauce?
Yes, you can freeze cranberry orange sauce. Let’s say you just can’t finish the leftover sauce in that two-week window. The best thing to do is transfer it to a freezer container, where it will be good for another six months. Or you could make a double batch and know some will be on hand for a while.
Recipe courtesy of Southern Living.com