Whole Cranberry Sauce

Are you team jellied cranberry sauce or whole?  This has been a great debate in my family ever since I can remember.  We have one person who is team whole cranberry sauce, and we have to accommodate them every year.  My dad is team whole cranberry sauce.  My mom always gets him a can of the Ocean Spray Whole Cranberry sauce, and he is usually the only one to eat it.

JUMP TO RECIPE

One year, Dad got sick of us making fun of him and his whole cranberry sauce and decided to make a batch from scratch.  My dad is a good cook, but this cranberry sauce was awful!  I decided to come up with my recipe just for him.

My homemade cranberry sauce is tart, sweet, warm, and bright.  Cranberries are known to be tart and bitter.  Citrus juice accommodates and balances those flavors.  That is why I use fresh oranges in this recipe.  I like having a little apple in my whole cranberry sauce as well.  It adds additional texture and tartness that does not have a bitter finish.  Cinnamon sticks round out this recipe by adding a layer of warmth and sweetness different from sugar.

I choose sweeteners that add depth of flavor to help balance the bitterness of cranberries.  Brown sugar and maple syrup are the perfect choice to accomplish balance.  Honey could easily replace maple syrup.  A hint of thyme rounds this recipe to create the perfect flavor combinations for a full-bodied whole cranberry sauce.

I don’t hate whole cranberry sauce.  I love using this recipe on top of crostini with goat or bleu cheese.  Whole cranberry sauce is also delicious as a spread on a grilled sandwich with brie, havarti, or herbed cream cheese.

Don’t dismiss the whole cranberry sauce altogether.  Try making it homemade and find delicious ways to use it!

Yield: 2 Cups

: Tanorria Askew

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Whole Cranberry Sauce

My whole cranberry sauce is tart, sweet, warm, and bright. Cranberries are known to be tart and bitter. Citrus juice accommodates and balances those flavors. That is why I use fresh oranges in this recipe. I like having a little apple in my whole cranberry sauce as well. It adds additional texture and tartness that does not have a bitter finish. Cinnamon sticks round out this recipe by adding a layer of warmth and sweetness different from sugar.

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 small apple, diced
• 1 large orange juiced and zested
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Allow the mixture to come to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low. The cranberries will begin to burst. Continue cooking for 20-30 minutes until the mixture is thick and the cranberries have cooked down. The apple should be fork-tender.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool before transferring to a service bowl or airtight container.

Notes

To make a jellied cranberry sauce, puree in a blender, then strain in a fine mesh strainer. Pour mixture into a mold and refrigerate overnight.

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.