Cranberry Sauce is a mainstay for most holiday tables. Kick it up a notch with this homemade Spiced Orange Cranberry Sauce!
Whether you buy fresh cranberries in a bag or go foraging for some, this recipe is perfect. It’s roughly enough for 5 half pints of sauce, which gives you enough for the holiday dinners, but not so much that you’ve got tons leftover. Although there are lots of delicious ways to use leftover cranberry sauce!
What Cranberries to Use
I got the chance to go foraging for wild Alaskan low-bush cranberries this year. Unlike the big ones you see in the grocery stores, these cranberries grow on the ground in the tundra and are very small, but still tasty. This particular variety is also known as Lingonberry. In my opinion, they taste best after it the first Fall frost.
When picking cranberries, many people like to use a berry picker. Personally I rarely use one because they tend to get a lot of small sticks and leaves along with the berries. I prefer to pick by hand. (Note: these particular berry pickers are really only good for cranberries. Softer berries get squished by them.)
The trick to cleaning the cranberries when you get home is to put them in a large bowl and fill it with water. The leaves and sticks tend to float to the top making it easier to pick them out without squishing the berries. With that said, it can still be a long process to be sure you got everything out. Be patient- no one wants sticks in their orange cranberry sauce.
Store bought cranberries work perfectly with this recipe as well.
Recipe Variations
There are a few variations you can make to this recipe. The spices can be omitted if you choose, as can the oranges, but they add lots of fall flavors. This recipe is also fairly low sugar. Taste the sauce as it cooks and adjust to taste. Some berries may be more tart than others. Just be sure to keep stirring the sauce as it cooks and allow the sugar to completely dissolve.
Spiced Orange Cranberry Sauce Tips
Don’t stop stirring too much. Due to the sugar content, the sauce can easily scorch while it boils. Stirring often with keep this from happening. Thankfully with this small batch, it only needs to boil for 15-25 minutes.
You know your orange cranberry sauce is done when it sheets off a cool metal spoon. (Instead of dripping off the spoon, it slides off slowly in a full “sheet.” Now it’s time to can it.
Like most cranberry sauces, this sauce is delicious served with ham or turkey. I also eat it added to some plain Greek yogurt for breakfast or even in cookies!
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Spiced Orange Cranberry Sauce
This Spiced Orange Cranberry Sauce adds extra flavor to your holiday feast!
Ingredients
- 5 cups whole cranberries
- 2 oranges peeled and chopped, and zest
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Get boiling water canner ready. Wash jars and lids. Have rings ready. Since this jam is processed in the water bath canner for 15 minutes the jars don't need to be sterilized, just washed in hot soapy water.
- Mix all ingredients, minus the orange zest in a large stainless steel pot. Bring to boil stirring often until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and boil gently until most of the berries have popped and the sauce begins to sheet on a cool metal spoon - about 15 to 25 minutes. Add the orange zest during the last few minutes of cooking. Remember to stir continually.
- Pour the hot sauce into the hot prepared jars, leaving 1/4" inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles with a wooden spoon or spatula and adjust headspace.
- Wipe rims, place lids and rings on jars.
- Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjust time for altitude.
Notes
Store any extra sauce in the refrigerator and use within a couple weeks.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 214Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 1gSugar: 52gProtein: 0g
