Orange Cranberry Sauce

The perfect addition to turkey is cranberry sauce.  I used to go and buy the jellied sauce in the can.  I know, but it is tasty and quick.  Then I tried to make my own cranberry sauce from scratch.  Little did I know that it is almost as quick to make as it is to open a can.  Plus when you make it from scratch you can add hints of other flavors.

Orange juice and zest make this cranberry sauce pop.

The first step is to wash and clean the cranberries.  Rinse them and look for any bad ones.  Every once in a while you will find a bad one.  It happens, it is a sign that you are actually cooking with real fresh produce.  Bravo!!

Next zest the orange into a sauce pan.  I used a micro plane for half of the orange.  This will result in a fine zest.  Then to add a little texture I zested the other half of the orange with a zester.  This gives you long strips that will stand out in the cranberry sauce.

Next juice the orange into a measuring cup.  Once you have juiced the whole orange, fill the cup with water up till the 1 cup line.  Place the juice mixture into the sauce pan.

Measure out 2/3 cup of sugar and add it to the pan.   Bring the mixture to a boil.

When the pan is boiling, add the cranberries.  Bring the mixture back up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer the cranberries for 10-15 minutes or until almost all of the cranberries burst open.

Pour into a bowl and cover.  Let the cranberry sauce cool to room temperature.  Then refrigerate until you are ready to serve it.

If you like smooth jellied cranberry sauce, strain out the cranberry skins.  Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.  I am big fan of having the cranberry skins in the mixture.

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Homemade orange cranberry sauce beats store-bought every time. Fresh orange zest and juice add bright citrus notes to tart cranberries, creating a simple Thanksgiving side dish that comes together in less than 20 minutes. Serve warm or cold alongside turkey.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Course: Sauce, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 package fresh cranberries 12 oz
• 1 orange
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup water

Method

 

1. Wash and clean the fresh cranberries. Rinse them thoroughly and remove any bad ones.
2. Zest the orange into a sauce pan using a microplane for half of the orange to create fine zest. Zest the other half with a zester to create longer strips for texture.
3. Juice the entire orange into a measuring cup. Fill the cup with water up to the 1 cup line. Pour the juice and water mixture into the sauce pan with the zest.
4. Measure out 2/3 cup of sugar and add it to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Once boiling, add the cranberries to the pan. Return the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
6. Simmer the cranberries for 10-15 minutes until almost all of the cranberries burst open.
7. Pour the cranberry sauce into a bowl and cover. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
8. Optional: For smooth jellied cranberry sauce, strain out the cranberry skins after cooking. If you prefer the texture of whole cranberries, skip this step.

Notes

For extra flavor, add a cinnamon stick while simmering. Toasted pecans stirred in before serving are also a delicious addition. This sauce keeps refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.