Description
Ina Garten’s make-ahead cranberry sauce elevates holiday tables with its perfect balance of tart and sweet. Zesty orange zest and warming cinnamon create a luxurious sauce you’ll savor alongside roasted meats or spread on leftover turkey sandwiches.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit:
- 1 bag (340 grams / 12 ounces) fresh cranberries, cleaned
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
Sweetener:
- 350 grams sugar
Liquid and Zest:
- 1 orange, grated zest and juice
- 1 lemon, grated zest and juice
- 240 milliliters (8 fluid ounces) water
Instructions
- Combine fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, and of water in a medium saucepan, placing over gentle, low heat.
- Gently simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until cranberry skins begin to burst and split open, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Incorporate finely chopped apple pieces into the cranberry mixture, carefully adding freshly grated orange zest, squeezed orange juice, delicate lemon zest, and tangy lemon juice.
- Continue cooking the vibrant sauce over low heat, stirring intermittently to prevent sticking and ensure even consistency, for an additional 12-15 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from heat source, allowing the cranberry compote to naturally cool and develop deeper flavors at room temperature.
- Transfer the cooled sauce into a clean glass container, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to enhance flavor melding and achieve a refreshing, chilled texture.
- Serve the homemade cranberry sauce cold as a delightful accompaniment to roasted meats, holiday dishes, or as a standalone condiment.
Notes
- Fresh cranberries burst with vibrant colour and tangy flavor, transforming your sauce from ordinary to extraordinary.
- Balancing sweetness becomes an art, where each taste test reveals the perfect harmony between sugary notes and natural tartness.
- Crisp Granny Smith apples bring unexpected texture and natural thickening magic to your homemade cranberry creation.
- Zesty citrus notes dance through the sauce, with orange and lemon zest delivering bright, aromatic undertones that elevate every spoonful.
- Advance preparation allows flavors to intertwine and deepen, promising a more complex and delicious cranberry sauce that tastes like it’s been lovingly crafted for hours.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 100 kcal
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg