Chapter 4. Scratch Cranberry Sauce

Growing up cranberry sauce was easily my favorite component of the holiday dinner:

Sweet, tangy, smooth on the palate. 

Like sweet potato casserole and cornbread it’s really a dessert that disguises itself brilliantly among the ranks of the savory mains. 

It’s also the simplest dish to make on the menu. As a kid it was such a simple process that I could do it unsupervised:

1. Use the can opener to remove the lid perfectly with no metal edges.

2. Run a butterknife between the cranberry cylinder and the can liner, around and around.

3. Place a plate on top of the can, flip it upside down, and give it a few heavy taps.

4. Lay the cranberry sideways and slice.

As an adult I realized the homemade version is just as easy if not more satisfying than the canned version.

1. Wash your cranberries. 

2. Then boil the cranberries with a simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water), and once it reaches a jelly consistency you add in citrus zest and spices if you so please. It cooks up into a pleasure bomb of jelly in 15 minutes or less.

When I first made this I didn’t trust that the berries would boil down since they were so hard. But alas, I was getting my sugar fix in no time.

Below is the receipt, but the above directions and images would suffice in you making this successfully.

The Receipt - Scratch Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 pound Cranberries (fresh or frozen works)

1 cup Granulated Sugar

1 cup Water

1-2 small Lemons for zest

Optional: Nutmeg, cinnamon, or allspice

Step to It:

1. Wash your cranberries under some water and remove any stems if you’re using fresh berries.

2. Place berries in a 2-4 quart sauce pot and add in sugar and water. Bring to a boil, about 8-10 minutes*. 

3. Once boiling, lower heat to a moderate simmer so that the berries can reduce, stirring constantly. Once it’s broken down to your liking, about 5 or so more minutes, you can remove it from the heat and add in any spices or zests. I don’t think add-ins are necessary because I like to taste the cranberries, but to each their own.

*Note: Be mindful to not leave the pot unattended. The berries will begin to break down and burst faster than you think, and they will begin to foam. So as soon as they start to burst, boil, and foam, you’ll want to use a spatula to start stirring it and discouraging the bubbles. If you’re not there to stir it, it will boil over. If it starts to boil over, don’t try to stir it, just immediately remove it from the heat and then stir. Once it calms down, bring it back to heat on a lower setting and stir constantly until bubbles subside.