Cranberry-Orange Sauce

A straightforward Thanksgiving cranberry sauce made by simmering cranberries with sugar, orange juice, water, and orange zest until the berries burst and the mixture thickens. It is cooled and chilled so the flavor settles and the texture becomes spoonable.

By Julienne

Cook time: 12 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 340 g fresh cranberries rinsed and picked over
• 180 ml orange juice freshly squeezed or bottled
• 2 tsp orange zest finely grated
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 60 ml water
• 1 g fine salt

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, water, and salt. Stir once to dissolve the sugar. The mixture looks evenly combined and the sugar is mostly dissolved.
2. Set the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a steady simmer, stirring occasionally. Continue simmering until most cranberries have burst and the sauce thickens slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Most berries have popped and the liquid coats a spoon lightly.
3. Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool in the pan for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice as it cools. The bubbling has stopped and the sauce is no longer steaming heavily.
4. Transfer to a bowl or container and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 1 hour before serving. The sauce is cold, glossy, and spoonable.