Cranberry Sauce

I’ve been sharing recipes from my family’s Thanksgiving table, but I’m trying to stick to the kinds of dishes you would still want to eat after the big day has come and gone.  But that’s not this recipe.  This is one I’ve only ever eaten on turkey day.  But I have such a nice picture of it that I want to share it here.

This recipe is nothing exciting.  It’s the recipe for cranberry sauce from the back of the Ocean Spray bag.  It’s my husband’s signature Thanksgiving dish, and he would make it for you as-is.  My inner foodie would add some orange zest.  You can decide for yourself.  Either way, this homemade sauce is a giant step up from the stuff in a can.

You need

• 1 C sugar

*updated, November, 2012* – my husband now recommends you dial back the sugar.  In fact, he suggests 8.5/10 of a cup, but that’s not a real measurement, so let’s call it a scant cup.

• 1 C water
• 1 12 oz. package of cranberries (fresh, not dried)

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and let it come to a boil.  Add the cranberries and return to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cover and let cool completely.

Now you have two options.  If your family is the full-berry type, pop your sauce in the fridge and don’t give it another thought till turkey time.

But, if your family is of the smooth-sauce variety, pass the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a serving bowl.

If your family is indecisive, go halfsies.