Let not your life be wholly without an object, though it be only to ascertain the flavor of a cranberry, for it will not be only the quality of an insignificant berry that you will have tasted, but the flavor of your life to that extent, and it will be such a sauce as no wealth can buy. -Thoreau
This simple, fresh tasting cranberry sauce brightens your plate and your taste buds, and might give you the courage for just one more helping of stuffing.
At some point over the last 10 years, my cranberry sauce became muddled and muddy. I added nuts, coconut, orange juice, different alcohols… The muddier the flavor of my cranberry sauce became the less satisfied I was. So, I went looking for a cranberry sauce that was not just simple, but fresh. This lead me to Daniel Humm’s Raw Cranberry Chutney printed in the New York times. His 3 ingredient recipe intrigued me, but it had 3 flaws: It required finding the splash guard to my stand mixer (I don’t even know if it made the move from Michigan), you have to run said mixer for 60 minutes, and it contains way too much sugar.* To fix all of this, I’ve made some changes to Humm’s recipe: you still need a stand mixer, but you no longer need a shield, it won’t take an hour, and I’ve fixed the level of sweetness.
*My last complaint about Humm’s recipe is purely my own, I don’t get why he calls his recipe a chutney. It feels like a bit of “exotic” baiting to me.
Notes
Note About Cranberries
I like to use fresh, organic cranberries for this sauce. I do not know how this recipe would work with frozen berries. I do not know how this sauce will taste with different varieties of cranberry, but I would love to try it with heritage berries if anyone wants to send me some. 🙂
Key Ingredients
Fresh Cranberries
Orange Zest
Sugar
Simple Cranberry Sauce – Recipe
Serves about 6 as a side. Special equipment: Stand Mixer with paddle attachment. Adapted from David Humm’s No-Cook Cranberry Chutney By Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times Cooking.
Ingredients
- 24 ounces fresh cranberries, cleaned
- Zest of 1 medium orange (about 2 teaspoons)
- 8-9 ounces (1 cup- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
- Strips of orange peel to garnish (optional)
Step One
Using a medium sized pot, bring about 4 cups of water to a gentle boil and add your cleaned cranberries. Cook at a simmer until you hear the first berry pop. Once you hear a second pop, strain your cranberries and add them to the bowl of your stand mixer. Grate zest from 1 medium size orange (or about 2 tablespoons) over top the hot berries, then add desired amount of sugar.
Step Two
Turn your mixer to its second to lowest setting and stir cranberry-sugar mixture for about 10 minutes. Then increase the speed to medium low and continue mixing for another 10-12 minutes. At this point about 2/3 of your berries should be broken. Put sauce in an airtight container and refrigerate for a few hours or 24 hours.
Serve cold or at room temperature. Optional: garnish with strips of orange peel before serving.