Triple-Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is incredibly easy to make. If you’ve never made your own, I encourage you to try it this year. This recipe for Triple-Cranberry Sauce takes just minutes to prepare and is lightly flavored with orange and spice. I’ve made it many times and am always pleased with the results.

I always buy King Kelly Orange Marmalade because it’s not as bitter as other marmalades I’ve tried, and I use freshly grated orange zest instead of minced orange peel (zesting is much easier than mincing the peel). I’ve even used regular cranberry juice cocktail (1 cup) when I couldn’t find the frozen concentrate. Either way, taste the cranberry mixture while it’s simmering and add more sugar, orange zest or allspice to your liking.

If you have leftover cranberry sauce, use it in this recipe for Cranberry-Almond Coffee Cake.

Triple-Cranberry Sauce

-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine, November 1993

“The Indians and English use them much,” wrote one visitor to New England in 1663, “boyling them with Sugar for Sauce to eat with their Meat, and it is a delicate Sauce.” Although there is little evidence that cranberry sauce was served at the first Thanksgiving, it is assumed that Indians brought it to the feast. This tangy version gets its intense flavor and color from a mixture of fresh and dried cranberries, along with frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate.

Yield: Makes about 2 1/2 cups

1 cup frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed

1/3 cup sugar

1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed, drained

1/2 cup dried cranberries (about 2 ounces)

3 tablespoons orange marmalade

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

2 teaspoons minced orange peel (I use orange zest)

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Combine cranberry juice concentrate and sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add fresh and dried cranberries and cook until dried berries begin to soften and fresh berries begin to pop, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange marmalade, orange juice, orange peel and allspice. Cool completely. Cover; chill until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)