Author: Susanne at dishwithme.com
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Mom’s quick homemade cranberry sauce? Hey, that’s me. I’m mom! And this is my version of homemade cranberry sauce.
I grew up having cranberry sauce out of the can, or a tin, as it is called some places. I had never had a fresh cranberry in my entire life and I simply didn’t know any different. As an adult I started branching out and really experimenting. This is one of my early creations. I have made cranberry sauce this way for many, many years and it is always a hit.
To me, this recipe is so amazingly easy for such a delicious outcome.
HELPFUL HINTS FOR MOM’S QUICK HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE
I know it seems like the recipe has a lot of sugar for the amount of cranberries used, but cranberries tend to be very tart and it takes sugar to balance things out.
This cranberry sauce can be made ahead of time and frozen. Simply pull it out of the freezer the day before you’re ready to serve it. I always do this, it is just one less thing to have to prepare on the actual holiday.
You really must try this as a spread on a turkey sandwich with your left over turkey. Oh my goodness. I first discovered using cranberry sauce on a turkey sandwich in a little café called Doc Java inside UAMS when I was a student in the nursing program there. It was love at first bite. It just takes a little bit, though, because you just want a little hint, not so much that it overpowers your sandwich. Doc Java is, also, where I discovered iced chai latte…YUM! Some good discoveries were made there.
LINKS THAT WILL PAIR WELL WITH MOM’S QUICK HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE
Try my recipe for the best freaking holiday gravy ever http://best freaking holiday gravy, ever, Coming 11/22/22.
LINKS FOR EQUIPMENT/PRODUCTS USED
I LOVE this KitchenAid citrus squeezer/press! It has a seed catcher and pour spout…AND, it is flat on the bottom, so you can set it on the counter to press, instead of holding it in your hands to press…for me, that means I can press harder and get more juice.
Equipment
- KitchenAid citrus press
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Fresh cranberries washed
- 1 small apple I love honeycrisp, diced
- 4 ounces cinnamon applesauce
- zest from 2 oranges finely zested
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
- Place fresh cranberries in a colander and give them a good rinse, discard any damaged ones. Set aside.
- Using a juice/citrus press, squeeze oranges until you get a half cup.
- In a medium pot add all ingredients, except the cranberries. On medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugars. It should only take about a minute for the sugars to melt. Once the sugars are dissolved, add the cranberries, stirring often.
- As soon as you start hearing the cranberries pop, or burst, turn the heat down to between medium to medium low. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring fairly often.
- At the end of 10 minutes, turn the heat off and remove the pot from the heat source. Leave the cranberry sauce to cool at room temperature. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Can be made ahead of time and frozen in an airtight container. Just be sure to pull it from the freezer the day before you plan to use it.
- How was that for easy?