There’s no need to buy the stuff in the can when homemade is as simple as this.
When I wrote this post initially I referenced the day before Thanksgiving. Here we are, as I republish this article, and it’s two days before Thanksgiving. The good news is that if you haven’t made your cranberry sauce yet, you’re in good shape. In fact, if you haven’t even bought cranberries, you still have plenty of time! Once the cranberries are procured you need just ten (or so) minutes to make the sauce, and another hour (or more) to let it chill in the fridge.
Also, if you have leftover cranberry sauce, you may want to try making these Cheesy Cranberry Sauce Puffs.
To learn more about this recipe, originally published in November 2016, keep reading.
It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and you may be in the rush of dinner planning. Baking desserts, prepping side dishes, defrosting the turkey are filling your afternoon. Why on earth would I suggest you add one more item to your to-do list when the list is long already?
Cranberry sauce is the one dish that I wholeheartedly advocate be homemade. First, when you make your own cranberry sauce you can control the amount of sugar in the dish. I find that so many canned sauces are painfully sweet. Second, this dish can be made in under ten minutes, literally. Third, you can add other flavors, if you like. Fourth, it’s almost fool-proof. If it weren’t for the fact that it involves boiling hot liquids, you probably could ask your three year old to make it.
So, now that I’ve made my case for homemade cranberry sauce, do you have fresh cranberries on hand? If not, don’t go to the store. It will be crazy there. What I’d suggest is that you bookmark this recipe and make it over the weekend to go with your leftover turkey or try it for your next Sunday dinner. (Cranberry sauce pairs well with pork and chicken; it doesn’t need to be paired with turkey exclusively.)
Ready to begin? Here we go!
Homemade Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup water or cranberry juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 12 ounce package fresh cranberries
Instructions
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Combine juice or water and sugar in a medium saucepan over high heat.
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Stir continuously until sugar is dissolved.
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Add cranberries; stir occasionally, until it returns to boiling.
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Reduce heat to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally until cranberries begin to burst, about 5 minutes.
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Remove from heat to cool.
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Transfer to a covered container, and refrigerate until fully chilled.
Notes
