Smooth Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Smooth homemade cranberry sauce made without orange juice, with tart berries and a little cinnamon and lemon. Includes an option to keep the berries for a chunky sauce.
Equipment
- Large pot about 8 quarts (7.5 liters)
- Heatproof bowl
- Sturdy spoon
- Shallow refrigerator-safe containers
- Kitchen scale
Ingredients
- 4 lb cranberries 64 oz / 1,814 g; about 16 cups
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar 500 g / 17.6 oz
- 2 ½ cups water 20 US fl oz / about 590 ml
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice 15 ml
Instructions
- Rinse the cranberries and discard stems and soft or damaged berries.
- Combine all ingredients in a large pot, about 8 quarts (7.5 liters). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Reduce to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until the berries burst and crush easily with a spoon. Stir from the bottom to prevent sticking; allow longer if needed.
- Remove the cinnamon stick. While the sauce is warm, work in batches to press it through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl. Scrape the underside of the sieve and discard the remaining skins.
- Divide among shallow containers. Cool briefly, about 30 minutes, and refrigerate within two hours of cooking. Chill for at least four hours before serving.
Notes
- Frozen cranberries need no thawing. For chunky sauce, skip the sieve.
- This batch may taste more tart and cook into a thicker mixture than sweeter recipes with more water per berry. Taste a cooled spoonful and add sugar to the warm sauce 1/4 cup (50 g) at a time if needed. For a looser sauce, add water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time.
- For stronger cinnamon flavor, cook with a second cinnamon stick and remove both before straining. For more lemon flavor, stir extra lemon juice into the strained sauce 1 teaspoon (5 ml) at a time, tasting between additions. Extra lemon juice also makes the sauce more tart.
- Yield is estimated at roughly 6-8 cups, or 24-32 quarter-cup portions. Measure the finished sauce to confirm.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze for up to three months. This is not a shelf-stable canning recipe.
- The listed pot size and timing are for the original batch. For larger quantities, cook in separate batches so the pot has enough room for bubbling and stirring.
