Monday, November 22, 2010

The Best Cranberry Sauce

One of the most important things on the Thanksgiving dinner table is one of the easiest to prepare. A bag of fresh cranberries will cost less than $2 at the grocery store in November. They are only in season for a few months, so it makes sense to stock up while you see them. You can toss the bag in the freezer, as is, and use them throughout the year to prepare fresh cranberry sauce whenever you roast a chicken.


Mahalo.com has detailed instructions on how to make cranberry sauce, including a number of variations.

My method is very simple. I combine a bad of cranberries with a cup of sugar and a cup of water in a saucepan. I bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. I do this several days ahead, and refrigerate it in a microwave safe bowl. I then warm the sauce for a minute before serving.

If I want a slightly more "interesting sauce, i add 1/2 cup of raisins, 1/4 teaspoon of allspice, and a tablespoon of chopped crystalized ginger with the cranberries before I bring the mixture to a boil. This variation goes particularly well with pork.

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