Cranberry sauce
Fresh cranberries simmered with sugar, orange juice and zest until they burst and thicken into a glossy, tart sauce for roast turkey.
Method
- 1
Put the sugar, orange juice and water in a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- 2
Add the cranberries and bring to the boil.
- 3
Lower the heat and simmer, stirring now and then, until most of the berries have popped and the sauce looks thick and glossy.
- 4
Press some of the berries against the side of the pan with the spoon if you like a smoother sauce.
- 5
Take off the heat and stir in the orange zest and the salt.
- 6
Spoon into a serving bowl or jar and leave to cool. The sauce sets as it cools.
- 7
Taste once cool and stir in a little more sugar if it is too tart for you.
Notes
- Do not cook the sauce until it looks very thick in the pan. Cranberries are rich in pectin and the sauce firms up a lot as it cools.
- It keeps for up to 2 weeks in a covered jar in the fridge and freezes well, so it can be made well ahead of a holiday meal.
- Frozen cranberries can go straight into the pan without thawing. Add a minute or two to the cooking time.
Equipment
Medium saucepan, Wooden spoon, Fine grater, Serving bowl or jar