Cranberry sauce never gets the shine it deserves. It’s often an afterthought, or worse, canned. But it should really take on more of a starring role. For starters, it’s beautiful — all garnets and rubies and jewel tones. Plus, it offers a tangy bite, a little something-something to cut the richness of mashed potatoes and gravy and cream-laden casseroles. AND you can make it ahead of time, refrigerate it for a week (or even freeze it) and the flavors meld together and taste extra wonderful.*
While my go-to version is basically mulled wine with cranberries thrown in, I stumbled upon this ginger cranberry sauce while browsing the Internets and was intrigued. Ginger is one of my favorite things, and I was sure it would be lovely with the tart-sweet cranberries. I love it when I’m right. The combo of the ginger, cranberries and orange is all the flavor you need, and making the sauce ahead of time really allows the flavors to meld. It’s cranberry nirvana, and definitely deserves a prominent place at your Thanksgiving table.
*AND AND you can take any leftovers you have, slather them on a wheel of Brie and bake it at 425F for 10-ish minutes, until the whole thing becomes a delicious gooey mess. It’s an easy, elegant appetizer … if you’re willing to share.
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Ginger Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- zest and juice of one orange
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange zest and juice and fresh ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, 12-15 minutes. Let cool for a few hours before serving.
Notes
- This lasts up to 7 days in the fridge and a month in the freezer.
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