My whole life, I never understood why people would opt for the canned cranberry crap as opposed to making your own cranberry sauce. I mean, it really makes me wonder what people think when buying the canned stuff. Yeah, I get it takes like 10 seconds to open a can of cranberry sauce – which, I don’t know if you can even call that sauce since it plops down onto the platter like congealed gelatin, but tack on maybe 5 more minutes to that 10 seconds and you can make FRESH and UNPROCESSED cranberry sauce from scratch. You can taste the freshness too. And the possibilities of flavors are endless!
I made this cranberry sauce last year for Thanksgiving and I made it again this year because it’s just that good. I love the contrasting flavors of cranberry and orange. It’s a sweet and tart flavor that go very well together. It’s super easy to throw together and it makes plenty for those who love to smear it all over their turkey! It’s great to use for those leftover turkey sandwiches too :)
Cran-Orange Sauce
Ingredients
- 1: 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries
- Zest of 1 orange
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a medium stockpot, add cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, water, and sugar. Bring to boil then turn heat down and let it simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When mixture is done, it should be nice and thick. If you feel that you need to add more sugar, add more, a tbsp. at a time.
- Serve warm.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
NUTRITION FACTS
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.
Diane
Monday 26th of November 2012
THANK YOU for this recipe!! I made it for our Thanksgiving and it was a major hit! I served it warm for the main meal, but we had some cold later in the day; either way, it's now a permanent part of my Thanksgiving menu!!
Julie
Monday 26th of November 2012
Awesome! So glad it was a hit! :)
The Ultimate Thanksgiving Leftover Grilled Cheese - Ring Finger Tan LineRing Finger Tan Line
Wednesday 21st of November 2012
[...] no excuse for not having it at your holiday table. I make a cranberry sauce very similar to the one Julie posted over at Table for Two Blog, so if you don’t have a recipe, use that one. Put down the can, and pick up the fresh [...]
Ross | TheFaceBaby
Monday 19th of November 2012
This looks dee.lish!! Once again, my family was guilty of serving up the canned variety when I was growing up. Turkey, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, pies and other desserts ... all the "big ticket" dishes ... made from scratch and heavenly. The "little things" like cranberry sauce must've been an afterthought. Oh well, I am making this this year!!
Julie
Monday 19th of November 2012
Good! Transform them from canned to fab :)
Tracey
Sunday 18th of November 2012
I've made homemade versions of cranberry sauce in years past, but I'll confess to loving the canned stuff. It's one of the few canned foods I can't quit :) Love the orange zest in yours, so pretty!
Nicole @ The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie
Saturday 17th of November 2012
Mmmm I love cranberry sauce with orange (I always throw a little Grand Marnier in mine hehe) - but I am right there with you...why the heck are people still buying that freaky stuff in the can??! It weirds me out!