The perfect homemade cranberry sauce recipe to complement every turkey dinner! It’s sweet and tart at the same time, with the perfect consistency and texture.
Although cranberry sauce is best known for being served with turkey, you don’t really have to wait for thanksgiving to make it. It also goes so well with chicken, and can definitely make your weeknight chicken dinners extra special!
So ditch store-bought cans of cranberry sauce, and make your own sauce at home. It tastes WAY better and contains no harmful ingredients. I like to leave a few whole berries and add them back to the sauce at the end for a chunkier cranberry sauce, and I think it looks prettier on the plate too.
How to Make Cranberry Sauce
You can either use fresh or frozen cranberries to make cranberry sauce. If buying frozen cranberries, choose a package with full unbroken berries that are bright red in color.
Here’s how to make it:
- In a medium saucepan, combine half of the cranberries, water, and sugar.
- Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the rest of the cranberries, and simmer gently uncovered without stirring for about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and pour into a serving dish. Chill before serving.
Remember, the sauce will thicken even more once it cools so don’t overcook it.
This is sort of like a whole berry sauce, as I find that whole berries look very pretty. But if you prefer a traditional jelly-like cranberry sauce, then add all of the cranberries at once at the beginning.
Can you Freeze Cranberry Sauce?
It freezes so well in an airtight container for a year. Thaw until you get the right consistency. If necessary, thin it out with a splash of water in a saucepan over medium heat and serve.
Variations
- Add spices such as ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, allspice.
- Add orange juice or lemon juice, or add something boozy for example rum or brandy.
- Or, as I did in my version here, just stir in some fresh orange zest at the end for a great flavor.
Serving Ideas
- Serve with perfectly juicy and tender roast turkey or a roasted turkey breast. Slice the turkey and serve with mashed potatoes or sweet mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, this delicious cranberry sauce, and sautéed greens!
- With grilled chicken, or steak.
- Add to turkey sliders and sandwiches.
- Use it to make desserts.
- Pretend like it’s jam, and spread it on sandwich bread with a little bit of butter!
- Use it as a glaze for meat and poultry.
For more delicious and nourishing recipe ideas, click here.
Cook chicken tenders for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they turn out golden brown and are cooked through. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken should register at 165°F (75°C) when it’s ready.
Cook chicken at room temperature and allow it to thaw completely if it was frozen. Also, do not overcook it; about 3 – 4 minutes of grilling on each side should be enough. And make sure that the grill is at the right temperature (between 370°F/187°C and 400°F/204°C). This prevents it from drying out on the grill.
Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine half of the cranberries, water, and sugar.
- Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the rest of the cranberries, and simmer gently uncovered without stirring for about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and pour into a serving dish. Chill before serving.
Notes
- Cranberry sauce freezes so well in an airtight container for a year. Thaw until you get the right consistency, and if necessary, thin it out with a splash of water in a saucepan over medium heat and serve.
- Feel free to add vanilla, spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg), or orange juice or zest for extra flavor.
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