I grew up with the canned stuff, but a few years back I came across a recipe and decided to give it a try. Everyone reluctantly tasted it and then there was no turning back. It is a big hit every year. I use cranberries, sugar, juice and zest of clementines, grated ginger and cinnamon.
I grew up around cranberry bogs in southeastern ma, and I eat cranberries all year long. Mostly in cranberry orange bread. The cranberry sauce for the holidays is made from scratch, and I use brown sugar and molasses.
We often pick our own wild-growing cranberries here. Grew up with the canned kind, but now we cook the berries with a simple recipe ( water, sugar, orange juice/zest) and there never seems to be enough. Great on the day, great on sandwiches, and even better --warmed up and spooned over vanilla ice cream. Yum-o!
We have a guest every year at Thanksgiving who insists that his cranberry sauce is the best, and makes a big production out of bringing it. It contains a ton of pungent spices, especially allspice. Most of us wonāt go near the stuff, but that doesnāt stop him from bringing a huge bowl of it every year.
My daughter and her husband are hosting Thanksgiving this year. He loves the canned cranberry jelly stuff (which always surprises me as he is a real foodie and also an excellent cook). I have been asked to bring mashed potatoes and a pumpkin cheesecake but asked today if I could bring fresh made cranberry sauce as well - turns out my daughter is already planning on making some. Phew. (I really donāt like the canned jelly stuff)
I made Mama Stambergās cranberry relish one year, but no one liked it. I really like the simple cranberry, water, sugar thatās on the package of cranberries the best. It takes ten minutes and it can be made ahead of time. I despise the relishes. My mother was always trying them out. I feel no need to gussy up Thanksgiving - itās only once a year. I donāt get tired of the same old dishes.
āWe have both homemade and the canned jelly kind on the table and I always take some of both.ā
Another thing we agree on. I love both and consider them separate dishes that happen to have the same name ā kind of like Chicago and NY pizza.
I make my cranberries with sugar, blueberries, and Chambord. Iāve also done the Grand Marnier and mangoes -both variations are fantastic.
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Cranberries, apples, and sugar, topped with rolled oats, pecans, and butter. Baked for 30 minutes. Better than sauce, no need to wait for Thanksgiving.
I donāt get to even try to make a fresh cranberry sauce. Both D and H must have the canned jellied cranberry sauce. It is a big game for them to get it out of can slowly to preserve the can lines and can shape!
They are two different dishes at our house - cranberries and "can"berries. Canberries must be sliced into discs so that children can use the edge of their fork to carve them into the outline of a turkey, or the phases of the moon or a Christmas tree.
@MomofJandL do you have that recipe handy?
I make fresh cranberry sauce every year. When DS and DD were young, they loved listening to the cranberries pop as it simmered on the stove. I had a bumper crop of jalapeƱo peppers this year and a friend used them to make cranberry-jalapeƱo jelly, which Iāll serve over cream cheese for an appetizer.
I doctor up canned whole berry cranberries. It was what DH grew up with, and now itās what my kids grew up with and expect to have. Iāve thought of doing fresh cranberry sauce since it seems so easy, but Iām not sure how it would go over with my family.
I consider myself a foodie and an adventurous cook. I make turkey several times a year, and roast chicken even more often.
I make sauce with fresh cranberries a couple of times when cranberries are in season and usually also freeze a few bags for use later in the year. (They do get used up.) But, alas, I myself prefer the Ocean Spray jellied sauce and almost always have a can on hand.
When I open the can, I usually get to eat most of the sauce myself and have something else available for other family members. It is a comfort food for me and brings back warm memories of holiday celebrations from my fifties/sixties childhood.
I live in Texas and I we have always had canned Ocean Spray Cranberry sauce for the holidays. Thanks to this thread Iām going to make fresh cranberry sauce this year and see how it goes over with the family.
You donāt have to eat the cranberries. You can float them in a large glass bowl with floating candles, and admire them as a centerpiece. (After a couple of days your kids/grandkids can the pop the cranberries.)
@veruca -
2 cups (1 bag) fresh cranberries
3 cups chopped apple
1 cup white sugar
Top with-
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup quick oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup butter, chopped into cubes
Bake at 325 for 1:15 to 1:30
Awesome!!! Thanks so much
I get ācanberryā for the kids and make one layering cranberries, sugar, juice and zest of a lemon, black walnuts and orange marmalade.
Our family recipe:
1 can cranberry sauce WITH berries (I use two cans to get more cranberry flavor)
1 small can mandarin oranges (get at TJs, no sugar added)
1 c walnuts
1 - 1 lb bag of frozen mixed berries
1 can crushed pineapple (no sugar added)
Add all ingredients in bowl the night before, mix, cover and let flavors blend. Huge hit wherever we take it.
JandLmom, I am going to try out your recipe ā it sounds awesome!
I donāt eat it myself but I make the very basic water, sugar and cranberry recipe