Daily Survival: 3-Ingredient Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Years ago, my sister asked me to try making her 3-ingredient fresh cranberry sauce. Here’s the deal: we all use cranberry sauce for different festive meals over the holidays. I grew up with the jellied kind of cranberry sauce in a can.

I never knew you could make it on your own at home. We would use the jellied sauce on our Thanksgiving plates and, later on, smear it on turkey sandwiches with cream cheese.

Then, I made my sister’s 3-ingredient fresh cranberry sauce recipe, and my life changed forever. I have tried it with spices, orange, and lemon rind, but I always return to the plain recipe with sugar and water. It’s chunky and sweet but not overly sweet. It’s just right.

Ingredients – Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Fresh Cranberries: A small, hard, round red fruit. Known to be sour and bitter. It is high in antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber. Be sure to use fresh cranberries in this recipe!
White Granulated Sugar: Preserves the color, texture, and flavor of food. It helps the fresh cranberries break down and thicken. Increases the flavor of any other ingredients.
Water: Used to wash the cranberries and dissolve the sugar while boiling and softening the cranberries during cooking.

Kitchen Items You May Need:

Fresh Cranberry Sauce Instructions

Step One: Gather all of the Ingredients

Gather all of the ingredients you will need for the fresh cranberry sauce. It’s pretty easy, but only 3.

Step Two: Wash the Cranberries

Wash the cranberries after sorting them and discarding any bad ones.

Step Three: Boil Water and Sugar

In a medium saucepan or pot, boil the water and white sugar together using medium-high heat.

Step Four: Allow the Sugar to Dissolve

Continue to boil the water and sugar together until the sugar completely dissolves.

Step Five: Add Cranberries to the Sugar & Water Mixture – Stir

Add the cranberries to the sugar mixture and stir until the cranberries break down slightly and thicken.

Step Six: Bring to a Boil and Simmer

Bring the cranberries and sugar mixture to a boil. Simmer.

Step Seven: Use a Potato Masher if Desired

As the cranberries heat up, you will begin to hear the cranberries start to pop. This is when you know the cranberries are softening, and the natural pectin they contain will be released.

It is time to use a potato masher to break down most soft cranberries. There is no chopping involved or the need to use a food processor!

Step Eight: Mixture Thickens as it Cools

The mixture will thicken more when it cools and is refrigerated.

Step Nine: Fill Jars When Mixture Cools

Fill your jars with the cranberry sauce after it cools down to room temperature. Refrigerate until needed. It will keep for up to ten days.

Finished Product

3-Ingredient Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings 10 people

Author Linda Loosli

Ingredients

1 32-ounce fresh cranberries
2-1/2 cups white granulated sugar
2-1/2 cups water

Instructions

Gather all of the ingredients.
Using a colander, wash the cranberries after sorting through them and discarding the bad ones.
In a medium saucepan, boil the water and sugar together.
Continue to boil the water and sugar together until the sugar completely dissolves.
Add the cranberries to the sugar and water mixture and stir until the cranberries break down slightly and start to thicken.
Bring the cranberries and sugar mixture to a boil. Simmer.
Use a potato masher to break down most of the soft cranberries. There is no chopping involved or the need to use a food processor!
The mixture will thicken more when it cools and is refrigerated.
Fill your jars with the cranberry sauce after it cools down a bit. Refrigerate until needed. It will keep for up to ten days.

What do you use fresh cranberry sauce for?

It tastes delicious on a slice of fresh turkey!
Use it as a spread on toast.
When poured on top of a block of cream cheese, it’s a delicious appetizer served with crackers!
On leftover turkey sandwiches. Yum!

Are there any delicious variations to this fresh cranberry sauce recipe?

I love this fresh cranberry sauce made as is! If you want to try a different variation, I have added some orange zest, lemon rind, fresh orange juice, or spices.

I think it might be fun to try other variations, such as adding bits of apple or pears, pecans, fresh ginger, or a pinch of spice such as nutmeg, allspice, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, or cinnamon stick. Although I have tried other variations, I always tend to return to the original version. It is perfect!

Can I use a liquid sweetener instead of sugar in this fresh cranberry sauce recipe?

You are welcome to use a liquid sweetener such as maple syrup, honey, or agave syrup. But please know that additional liquid will be used for this alternative sweetener, so the sauce’s texture will be different.

If you decide to use one of these sweeteners, please allow the water to cook for several minutes or use a little less water to begin with. I typically only use white sugar because I love the sweetness of the sugar and cranberries. They work well together, with just the right amount of sweetness!

Brown sugar is an additional alternative. Use a 1:1 ratio of brown sugar instead of granulated white sugar.

Can you freeze fresh cranberry sauce?

The fresh cranberry sauce freezes well. I highly recommend cooling it entirely and pouring it into freezer-safe bags if you want to freeze it. It should freeze well for up to 6 months if properly stored.

What can I do if my cranberry sauce tastes a little bitter?

You may think you should grab the sugar and add more. But sugar will make it worse. Remember you need to dissolve the sugar, and now that it’s already made, that won’t work very well.

Try adding some maple syrup, a teaspoon or so. Add it gradually until the bitterness goes away.

Is cranberry sauce supposed to be sweet or sour?

It should be a combination or balance of sweet and tart.

Why does my cranberry sauce smell like vinegar?

Here’s the deal: it’s probably fermented and is unsafe to eat. If it smells sour, like vinegar or wine, discard it.

What tastes good with cranberry sauce?

Turkey, Stuffing, etc.
Cream Cheese
Brie Cheese
Oatmeal
Nuts, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and almonds

Do you love the taste of fresh cranberries? Check out these other cranberry recipes:

Are there any health benefits to eating cranberries?

Cranberries are very healthy for you, mainly if eaten as a fresh fruit. One cup of cranberries only has 46 calories, no fat, 4 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, only one gram of protein, and 2 milligrams of sodium, as you find in salt. They have 12 grams of carbohydrates.

Of course, you’d consume more calories with the sugar in this sauce. They have a bunch of antioxidants that are very helpful in protecting your body’s cells. They contain vitamins C, A, and K. The amount of potassium, iron, and calcium isn’t significant.

Studies have shown that cranberries help improve eyesight and cardiovascular health. For those who struggle with urinary tract infections, you may want to include cranberries in your daily food prep routine since they reduce those infections. The cranberries won’t clear up an infection, requiring other medical treatments once the infection has set in. They are also known to improve overall digestive health, possibly due to their fiber content.

Be aware that if you are on prescribed blood thinners like warfarin, the vitamin K found in cranberries may interfere with those meds, so consult your doctor before eating a high concentration of cranberries or their juice.

My Thanksgiving Tip

I have done this for years: laminate your recipes and grab some cookie sheets. Place all of the measured ingredients on each cookie sheet so those helping with the meal can make the recipe easily.

Final Word

Please let me know if you decide to make this delicious fresh cranberry sauce. Nothing is better at a Thanksgiving feast or Christmas dinner than homemade cranberry sauce! The tartness of the cranberries, along with the granulated white sugar, and the sweetness are just right! Let me know how yours turns out; I’d love to hear from you. May God bless this world. Linda

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Daily Survival

Friday, December 13, 2024

3-Ingredient Fresh Cranberry Sauce