Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is one of the foods I look forward to most during the holiday season. I love it with turkey, of course, but I serve it whenever we roast up a chicken for dinner too, which is usually about once per week. I also enjoy using the sauce as a second-fermentation flavor for kombucha whenever I find myself with a surplus that needs to be used up quickly.

It’s quick to whip together, and over the years I’ve landed on my own tried and true recipe. I like the depth of flavor from the cinnamon, and the brightness that the orange juice brings. As for the brandy, whether or not I add that to the mix really just depends on my mood. I added it to this year’s batch because I was feeling it, and it’s so, so good. Feel free to omit it, though, or to swap it for bourbon or vanilla extract.

I’ve also experimented in the past with making this using honey or brown sugar instead of organic cane sugar. Both options are delicious. Enjoy!

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Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Yield: Less than a pint

Author: A Wooden Nest

A quick and versatile recipe.

Ingredients

• 8-12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup sugar (or to taste)
• Juice from half an orange
• 2 whole cinnamon sticks
• A splash of brandy
• A pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high, stirring frequently, until it begins to boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until the cranberries begin to burst.
3. Using the back of a wooden spoon, smash the berries against the side of the pan until most have burst open and have formed a sauce.
4. Scoop a bit of the sauce up with a clean spoon and allow to cool. Check the taste for sweetness and saltiness. Add more sugar or salt if needed.
5. Remove from heat and discard the cinnamon sticks. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Notes

Tips:

• Replace sugar with brown sugar or honey if preferred
• Omit brandy if desired, or replace with bourbon or vanilla extract
• Grate in some orange zest before squeezing out the juice

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