Blood Orange and Ginger Cranberry Sauce
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What does this food offer in terms of nutrients and physical nourishment?
Carbohydrates (cranberries, blood orange juice, sugar)
Fiber (cranberry skins)
Other: cranberries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants
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What does this food offer in terms of mental satisfaction through flavor, texture, and experience?
Sweet
Tart/tangy
Chunky
Sticky
Gelatinous
Cranberry sauce has always been one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving although admittedly, up until recently, I’ve been Team Canned Cranberry. I still enjoy the thick gelatinous texture but have grown away from the can shape and over-sweetened flavor. These days, I’m more into minimal sweetness and really letting the flavor of what I’m sweetening shine on their own. I also have an affinity for sour things, so I love letting this tart cranberry-citrus combo sing.
If sweeter sauce is your thing, fear not. You can easily add a little extra sugar to this recipe without compromising the texture. This recipe is ready in 40 minutes and requires minimal baby-sitting. When you hear the berries start popping, you’ll know it’s time to start mashing! With it’s easy prep, comes a little extra bite. Since we don’t spend extra time straining out cranberry skins, there’s added texture and fiber! By preserving the fiber, we help slow down digestion and reduce a spike in blood sugar. The fiber filled cranberries paired with the digestive benefits of ginger really help us go with our guts this holiday season ;)
For more Thanksgiving recipes, be sure to check out the “Hey, I think you might like this” section at the bottom of this page!
Allergens: No major allergens
Servings: 6 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 12 oz bag cranberries
2 medium size blood oranges
3 tbsp sugar (I like using raw Turbinado sugar which is unrefined but white works here as well! I would not recommend subbing with coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey, or alternative sweeteners because it will effect the texture and its ability to gelatinize)
1 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated or 2 tsp jarred minced ginger
Zest of 1 blood orange
Directions:
With clean hands and gentle pressure, roll the oranges until softened. This separates juice from the membrane of the fruit and allows us to squeeze the most juice possible out of them.
Cut oranges in half and squeeze juice into a liquid measuring cup. Use a small fork or spoon to remove seeds. Save 1 orange peel for zesting.
In a large saucepan, combine orange juice, ginger, and cranberries. Bring liquid to a boil.
Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes. Listen for popping sounds, this means the cranberries are bursting open and are ready to be mashed.
Using the back of a spoon or a wire masher, gently mash the cranberries until all the berries are crushed and the texture is somewhat even (There will still be cranberry skins mixed in).
Add sugar. Cook uncovered for another 10 minutes or until sauce has thickened. For extra thick sauce, allow to cool and set in fridge for 20 minutes before serving.
Note: If you’re a fan of sweeter traditional cranberry sauce, feel free to add a tablespoon or more of sugar to reach your preferred sweetness.
Top with orange zest, if desired. Store in airtight container in fridge for up to 1 week.
