Sunday, November 20, 2011

Seriously Orange Cranberry Sauce


      Although the pilgrims did not serve cranberry sauce at the first Thanksgiving, you'd be hard pressed to find an American Thanksgiving gathering without a dish of canned or homemade cranberry sauce on the table.  I haven't made it from scratch in many years and had forgotten how incredibly bright and sharp the flavors can be.  This is a one pot wonder recipe, mix the berries, cinnamon stick, sugar and orange juice together in you dutch oven.  Bring the mixture to a boil, let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the cranberries have started to pop.  Remove it from the heat, stir in the marmalade and zest and you've got a tangy, fresh relish that stands heads above a log of canned jelly.  I made this in my 8 inch oven with 10 coals on the bottom and 12 on the lid.  You can make it a few days in advance and the best thing is that it only improves with age, your family will never guess how easy it was to make.  From a 2004 issue of Health Magazine.

Seriously Orange Cranberry Sauce
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 Tblsp or zest of one large orange
1 cup orange juice
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 12 oz. package fresh cranberries
1 cinnamon stick

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Add cranberries, orange juice, sugar and cinnamon stick to prepared oven; mix well.
     Cover and place over a full compliment of coals with enough briquettes on the lid to keep it at a steady simmer.
     Cook for 15 minutes or until cranberries begin to soften and pop.
     Remove from heat; stir in marmalade and orange zest.
     Chill in refrigerator before serving.

Mix cranberries, cinnamon, orange juice and sugar in dutch oven

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until cranberries begin to pop

Remove from heat and stir in marmalade and orange zest

Chill for a couple of hours before serving

2 comments:

  1. Orange cranberry sauce is a staple in my kitchen at work during the fall and into the winter. I served it with corn cakes last week and have leftover sauce with carrots for cranberry glazed carrots.

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  2. Corn cakes and cranberry sauce sounds like a winning combination, I have been spooning a sample every time I open the fridge, don't think it's going to make it to Thanksgiving!

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