Quick cranberry sauce recipe
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Christmas, Sauces Gravy Dressings | 82 comments
Two years ago I made cranberry sauce to die for. It kept for months in the fridge and was wolfed down with everything from goat’s cheese toasties to roast chicken. I particularly loved it with brie in sandwiches. In fact we both agreed that it really comes into its own after Christmas, when it is not jockeying for position with so many other treats. Although I would feel bereft if it didn’t make an appearance on Christmas Day.
Cranberry sauce is dead easy to make and it’s quick too. Once you’ve tasted homemade you’ll probably never want to buy a jar again. I spotted a two for one offer on cranberries at the supermarket and pounced on them. It took me half an hour to make this sauce. It is not nearly as sweet as commercially produced sauce and is perfect with turkey, goose, game and cheese.
Update – 23rd December 2007. Today I made a new cranberry sauce recipe you can find it here.
Quick cranberry sauce recipe
Ingredients:
- 300g of fresh cranberries
- 4 clementines (juice and zest)
- 120g white granulated sugar
- 25-50ml of Port (to taste)
Method:
- Wash the cranberries and discard any iffy fruit.
- Put the cranberries in a saucepan.
- Wash the clementines and remove the zest (just a little off each fruit to give you about half a teaspoonful from them all). Squeeze the juice and add the zest, pulp and juice to the cranberries.
- Add the sugar and stir well.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Taste the sauce at this stage, if you find the sauce is to tart for your taste, add a little more sugar.
- Pop on the lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the cranberries are soft and splitting. Some of them will cook more quickly than others. Stir the sauce gently every five minutes or so. When the sauce if ready, remove from the heat and stir in the port.
- Pot in warm sterilised jars with plastic lined screw top lids. Store in the fridge. How do I sterilise jars? See tricks and tips below.
Tricks and tips:
How do I sterilise jars?
Just before making the sauce, quickly wash and rinse the jars and place them upside down in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 160c (140c fan-assisted). When the oven has reached the right temperature turn off the heat and open the door. The bottles will stay hot for quite a while, so use oven gloves when removing them from the oven. Sterilise the lids by boiling these for a few minutes in water.
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Sorry have been offline for a few days and have only just caught up – but well done Fred – some people have no gratitude. Buy a set of dual scales if you have a problem Chloe. I for 1 am very grateful to Fiona for taking the time and being generous enough to share her recipes!
This sounds perfect…I hope I am not too late to get my cranberries and start making it!! Thanks
This is a fantastic recipe. Awesome & so easy! Thanks & merry xmas. D.
Just made some lovely Cranberry Sauce, but substituted the clementines for lemons and used a little vodka instead of port!! Looking forward to presenting my contribution to the xmas dinner on the 22nd along with my butternut squash, sweet potatoe and stilton soup YUMMY!!
Just made this, I was in ASDA looking for chestnuts when I saw the offer 2 for £2, so had chestnuts and cranberries. Came home googled a receipe and found this one. It really is easy and fast to make an tastes delicious (from licking the spoon!) cant wait for it to cool!
Hi Caron
Keep this sauce in the fridge. It will last for a month or so. In time we’ll develop a sauce that keeps well out or the fridge but meanwhile the chilly confines suit this sauce.
I am just a little confused about the keeping time. Reading the above I read a comment about putting it in small jars as it does not keep very well even in the fridge..but others seemed to say it lasts ages, someone mentioned February. Are people freezing it and taken out jar at a time and this way it lasts or just putting it in the fridge from when you make it and that is good enough to last.? I am making some tommorrow and just want to get it straight what I do with it after!! Thank you.
For all this Christmas…. Try adding fine chopped ginger! Our chef did it lat year and it was a winner! When I get the recipe I will post it.X
Ha Ha Ha, Very good Fred. I’m 29 and understood what you meant. I’m off now to buy the goodies to make this sauce. I’m host to the fussy mother in law this year and your recipe sounds both easy and delicious. Will let you know. x
Tee hee, well done!!! And some people do use grams by the way – especially young people.