Food & shopping
Cranberry sauce
A three-ingredient cranberry sauce for 10 portions, with orange juice and time to cool.
The checklist
- Cranberries · 340 g
- Granulated sugar · 200 g
- Orange juice · 240 ml
+ 8 more explained items
Time, servings and nutrition
CondimentAmerican-style
Servings: 10 · 1/10 of the batch
- Preparation
- Cooking
- Extra waiting
- See the steps
The 20-minute preparation and cooking period does not include cooling. Chill as described in the steps; no fixed cooling time is claimed.
Approximate nutrition per serving
All three ingredients are included. Orange juice mass is estimated from the USDA household measure.
- Energy
- ≈ 105 kcal
- Protein
- 0.3 g
- Fat
- 0.1 g
- Carbohydrate
- 26.7 g
Calculation details
Planning times use the upper end of stated ranges. Cooling and extra oven loads may take longer.
Calculated from ingredient amounts using USDA reference foods. Brands and portion sizes change the result.
Recipe notes: cranberries, orange juice, Thanksgiving table
Tart cranberries and orange juice make a useful contrast to a roast dinner. A small bowl on the table is enough: this batch gives about 10 side portions, rather than 10 dessert bowls. The berries soften on the hob, leaving a spoonable sauce with some fruit still visible.
Allow about 20 minutes for preparation and cooking, then add cooling time before serving or packing. Choose a saucepan with enough headroom for bubbling juice. Keep a spoon and heatproof bowl ready so you can move the sauce off the heat when it reaches the right texture.
Who this list is for
A three-ingredient cranberry sauce for 10 portions, with orange juice and time to cool.
Tips
Choose the berries
Fresh and frozen cranberries both work. Remove damaged fresh fruit; frozen berries go into the pan directly, without thawing first.
Use the measured sugar
Start with 200 g granulated sugar for this batch. A different sweetener changes flavour and consistency; do not assume an equal-volume swap.
Keep the citrus simple
Freshly squeezed or bottled orange juice works. Measure 240 ml rather than counting oranges; juice yield varies and peel is not a required ingredient.
Watch the pan
Keep the pan uncovered and stir occasionally. Most berries should burst and the liquid begin to thicken; use those signs alongside the cooking window.
Leave room to thicken
The hot sauce is looser than the cooled sauce. Take it off the heat when it starts thickening, rather than boiling until it resembles cold jam.
Prepare ahead
Make it up to 3 days before the meal and refrigerate covered after cooling. For longer storage, freeze labelled portions for up to 2 months.
The checklist
3 ingredients · 5 steps
Print this page to tick items off on paper: the printout keeps only the checklist, with a box before every item.
Buy
Ingredients
- Cranberries · 340 g — Fresh or frozen; no thawing needed.
- Granulated sugar · 200 g — For the sauce.
- Orange juice · 240 ml — Fresh or bottled.
Take along
Equipment
- Medium saucepan and spoon — Leave room above the liquid.
- Scale and measuring jug — Measure before heating.
- Heatproof bowl and storage container — Cool before covering for storage.
To do
Cooking dayPreparation
- Check and measure — Sort the berries and measure all 3 ingredients for 10 side portions.
- Dissolve the sugar — Heat sugar and orange juice over medium heat, stirring until dissolved and gently simmering.
- Cook the berries — Add cranberries. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most burst and the sauce begins thickening.
- Transfer and cool — Remove from the heat and transfer to the heatproof bowl. Let cool; the sauce thickens further as it stands.
- Serve or pack — Stir before serving. For advance preparation, refrigerate covered up to 3 days; freeze labelled portions up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge.
Questions and answers
Can I serve it warm?
Yes, though it will be looser. Cool a little first, then serve small portions; chilled sauce also works with a hot roast.
Must I blend the berries?
No blender is needed. This version keeps some berry texture. Let the berries burst during cooking and stir the sauce before serving.
How do I thaw a frozen batch?
Move it to the refrigerator the night before serving. Stir after thawing and keep it covered until the meal. Do not treat the storage container as a canning jar.
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