Cranberry Sauce
Making cranberry sauce yourself lets you adjust the flavorings any way you like 'em. A nice addition is 2 strips orange zest and 2 tablespoons juice from 1 orange. Floral orange plays really nicely with the tart cranberries. There are a lot of cranberry sauce recipes on the Internet with an array of flavorings.
Cranberries and cranberry sauce have an extremely long shelf life. In part due to their high acidity, in part due to naturally high levels of antimicrobial phenolic compounds, fresh cranberries can last weeks (if not months) stored in the refrigerator. You can make your Thanksgiving cranberry sauce at least a week ahead of time. It sits in the fridge, no problem, and saves you from having to think about it on Turkey Day.
Whole Cranberry Sauce
from
1950 edition of the Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook
FMM: When I made this once, 1/2 recipe, it did not thicken enough. "Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for longer, stirring occasionally. The goal is to evaporate excess liquid."
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
4 cups fresh cranberries (1 pound bag)
Boil the water and sugar together for 5 minutes. Add the cranberries. Boil, without stirring, until all skins pop (about 5 minutes) [temperature should reach 217°F for it to jell]. Pour into serving dish and cool.
Makes about 4 1/2 cups.
Molded Cranberry Sauce
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
4 cups fresh cranberries (1 pound bag)
Boil the cranberries with water until the berries stop popping - about 5 minutes after it comes to a boil. Strain through a sieve, add sugar and stir. Boil rapidly for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a drop jells on a cold plate. Turn at once into a wet mold* and cool.
*A wet mold is simply a mold that has been rinsed with water, but not dried before pouring the sauce in it to set.
Cranberry Sauce for Two
from https://www.culinaryhill.com/
The best, easiest Cranberry Sauce recipe you'll ever make flavored with fresh orange juice and just a little sugar. This classic version makes enough for two people and is ready in under 10 minutes.
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon orange zest from 1 orange
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/8 teaspoon Salt
6 ounces fresh cranberries picked over and rinsed (1 1/2 cups, 1/2 of 12 oz. bag)
Zest the orange first, then juice it for the sauce.
In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, water, orange zest, orange juice, and salt to boil. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
Stir in cranberries. Simmer until slightly thickened and the berries begin to pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature or chill.
Makes 1 c. of sauce, enough for 2 (1/2-c.) servings or 4 (1/4-c.) servings
