Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Homemade Cranberry Sauce - A fresh and delicious cranberry sauce recipe made with only 3 simple ingredients! Just as easy as the canned sauce, but with so much more flavor!
Homemade Cranberry Sauce - A fresh and delicious cranberry sauce recipe made with only 3 simple ingredients! Just as easy as the canned sauce, but with so much more flavor!
- Carbohydrate 1.69670833333333 g
- Cholesterol 7.475 mg
- Fat 2.8492875 g
- Fiber 0.262000010410945 g
- Protein 0.400179166666667 g
- Saturated Fat 1.65576875 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (35g)
- Sodium 24.8143333336672 mg
- Sugar 1.43470832292239 g
- Trans Fat 0.33900375 g
- Calories 33 calories
Step-by-step
- Zest the orange and then cut in half. Juice the orange into a small bowl and remove any seeds.
- Place the sugar, fresh orange juice, orange zest and water in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a light boil over medium heat.
- Stir in the cranberries and salt. Continue to cook until the cranberries have burst and it has thickened (about 10 minutes). Mash the cranberries if you prefer a smoother sauce.
- Remove from heat and put cranberry sauce in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Many cooks rely on canned preserves without realizing that fresh cranberries contain high levels of natural pectin. This structural compound allows the fruit to set firmly on its own without requiring commercial additives like gelatin. Utilizing whole berries yields a natural sauce that achieves proper gelation simply through heat and sugar.
Scaling this preparation requires maintaining precise proportions between fruit, liquid, and sweetener. Doubling the batch demands a wider saucepan to increase surface evaporation, ensuring the mixture thickens within the standard ten-minute window rather than boiling over. Using a heavy-bottomed pan prevents scorching as the sugar concentration increases.
Adjusting sweetness involves modifying the granulated sugar ratio downwards by up to twenty percent without compromising the structural set. Substituting maple syrup works well, though liquid sweeteners alter the final viscosity and require slightly longer reduction times over medium heat. A pinch of salt balances the tart fruit acids.
Storing the finished condiment in an airtight glass container within the refrigerator maintains quality for up to ten days. Chilling allows the pectin network to finish tightening completely before service. Serve this preparation chilled or at ambient temperature depending on preference.
