Whole Cranberry Sauce

I think that a lot of people have been cheated their entire lives because the only cranberry sauce they’ve had is the kind from the can.  Sure, jelled cranberry sauce in the shape of a can is pretty tasty, but it’s nothing compared to sauce made from actual cranberries.  I love cranberries, and this year for Thanksgiving, I wanted to make a version from whole cranberries.  If you were not a fan of cranberry sauce before, this will convert you.  This was probably my favorite part of Thanksgiving this year.

This sauce was incredibly easy to make, and worth the little time and effort to have over the canned variety.  The sugar was just enough to take away the tartness but still preserve the cranberry flavor.  The orange juice and zest was also a nice touch and brought out the cranberry flavor.  I used frozen cranberries and it worked just fine.  This was amazing sauce and was great on its own or over some turkey.  David and I are looking forward to enjoying turkey sandwiches on homemade rolls (to be posted later) with this cranberry sauce.  I definitely encourage you to think outside the can and make this sauce!

Homemade Whole Cranberry Sauce
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Makes 2 1/4 cups

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 (12-ounce) package fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed, drained and sorted through, removing any stems or deflated ones
Several julienned strips of orange peel, or thick pieces of zest
A few squeezes of orange juice

Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries and zest, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10-14 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a few squeezes of fresh orange juice. Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time.