Cranberry Orange Sauce

cranberry orange sauce

I made my first-ever cranberry sauce a few Thanksgivings ago. I have to admit, I was pretty smitten. These days, it’s not hard to find whole, fresh cranberries at many stores. But if fresh aren’t available, frozen whole cranberries will work too. I have tinkered endlessly with this recipe, trying to find the perfect balance between tart and sweet and spice. As a result, it looks little like its inspiration. What I love is how much flavor this dish has going for it. And how easily it comes together in a single sauce pan. Don’t think Thanksgiving is your only shot at this, either. We love it with fish and our local pork. It’s a great addition to your pasture-raised chicken — and of course your turkey, too.

Makes 2 cups.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups fresh or frozen whole cranberries
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
  • 2 Tbsp. orange zest
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 3/4 cup honey, local if you can get it

Instructions

  1. Place cranberries, spices, zest, juice and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes, until cranberries break down and the sauce thickens.
  2. Taste and add more honey or spices, if desired. Serve room temperature or cold. You can make ahead and store in an air-tight container for up to a week.