Homemade Cranberry Sauce - No More High Fructose Corn Syrup on your Thanksgiving Table!
Feb 09, 2024
Our favorite cranberry dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas or anytime you're craving some cranberry goodness!
How many of you grew up with the gelled cranberry sauce out of a can on Thanksgiving?! Your grandma would cut the ends off the can and push it out onto a plate and slice it. You could see all of the little ridges from the can and it was basically cranberry-flavored Jello.
Besides the unnatural look of this dish on your beautiful Thanksgiving table, the ingredient list may shock you!
The ingredient list from one of the most famous brands of canned cranberry sauce, Ocean Spray, looks like this:
- Cranberries
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Corn Syrup
- Water
High Fructose corn syrup and corn syrup...along with some cranberries and water.
For those of you unfamiliar with the effects of high fructose corn syrup, it leads to risk of fatty liver disease, diabetes, obesity and weight gain. It also drives inflammation, which is the leading cause of most chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Well I have a better option for you! Imagine, a cranberry sauce sweetened with all natural organic cane sugar! Not too much, and not too little. Just the right amount of sweetness while still maintaining the tart goodness that is associated with cranberries. It's simple and easy to make and has so much more true cranberry flavor.
Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Homemade Cranberry Sauce (Chunky/Whole and Smooth Versions)
INGREDIENTS:
-
1 lb fresh, organic cranberries
-
1/2 to 1 cup organic cane sugar (amount will depend on how sweet you want your sauce - I usually go with 3/4 cup for nice sweetness with a touch of the cranberry tartness still there)
-
1/2 cup water
-
Optional ingredients: orange peel and/or cinnamon (I leave these out as we prefer a simple cranberry flavor; however, many people like additional flavors, especially orange.)
DIRECTIONS:
Combine the cranberries, sugar and water in a saucepan. If you are using additional ingredients for extra flavor, such as orange peel or cinnamon, add them now as well.
At this point, if you desire a whole cranberry sauce (not smooth), add the gelatin powder and stir until dissolved. Pour into serving dish and refrigerate until cold.
If you want a smooth cranberry sauce (no chunks), use an immersion blender to blend the cranberries right in the pan until they are your desired consistency. You can also put them into a blender or food processor, but use extra care when blending or processing hot items like this. Once you have the consistency you desire, bring back to a simmer and add the gelatin powder and stir until dissolved. Pour into serving dish and refrigerate until cold.
Note: This can be prepared up to 4 or 5 days ahead of time. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week.
I'm anxious to hear what you think of this recipe and how it compares to the canned version for you. I can honestly say that our family will never go back to the store-bought version! The flavor when you make things from scratch with real, whole foods can't be beat!
Enjoy! And Happy Thanksgiving or Merry Christmas if you happen to be making this as a dish to add to your holiday table!
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