Can we get one thing clear? Cranberries don't belong in gel form. If you LOVE slices of jellied cranberry, then more power to you, but if that's all you've ever had and you don't like cranberry sauce, then this year is the year to expand your horizons! This sauce is thinner than any commercial cranberry sauce, which I think makes it perfect for dipping without feeling overwhelmed by the sometimes-bitter cranberry flavor. It's also awesome on sandwiches year-round (if you can track fresh cranberries down year-round!)
One of the things I love is that you can pop it in the oven. You could certainly do it on the stovetop, but then you have to babysit it. I don't know about y'all (see how well I'm adjusting to life in the South?), but paying attention to sticky substances bubbling on the stove on Thanksgiving is not something that generally works for me. This way, you can pop the cranberries in the oven while your turkey, stuffing, or rolls are baking and you don't even have to think about them again. Easy. Which is something we definitely all need.
EDIT AND UPDATE!
Okay, upon the suggestions of you, our lovely readers, I made our T-day cranberry sauce with a cinnamon stick and the tiniest pinch of cloves. Oh, holy heck, it's so good! So I'm adding that to the ingredients list as optional but strongly encouraged! Thanks, girls!!
Cranberry Sauce
1 bag cranberries
1 c. white sugar
1 c. orange juice
1 c. water
1 stick cinnamon (optional)
1 very small pinch ground cloves (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash cranberries and place in 9x13 baking dish. Add water, cloves, cinnamon stick, and orange juice and sprinkle with sugar. 
Bake 1 hour. Remove from oven, remove cinnamon stick, and allow to cool. If you like it with a little texture, mash berries; if you prefer it smooth, process in blender or food processor until desired consistency is reached. Serve with turkey, Swedish meatballs, on pulled turkey, pork, or chicken sandwiches, or on top of ice cream or cobbler.
So how do you like your cranberries? Or do you like cranberries? Any foods you have at the holidays out of obligation rather than true love?
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My family makes Cranberry Sauce like this except we freeze it, plus a few more steps, it is a big hit always and adds some cold to a hot meals, plus it can be made up to a week before hand.
Cranberry sauce is my favorite thing on the Thanksgiving table. I load up on bags of fresh cranberries during this time of year and freeze them to use all year long. I strain my cranberry sauce to get the smooth texture.
hmmmm. . . tempting. tempting.
I normally stay clear of the cranberry sauce. But this looks beautiful and easy. So I just MIGHT give it a try.
I to love Cranberry Sauce. Other versions I have tried, have been too complicated. This looks wonderfully easy. Can't it be made ahead of time? How long does it keep?
My favorite addition to cranberry sauce is a pinch of cloves. A very small pinch. Too much and it's overpowering, but a little hint of spice really jazzes it up.
I'm going to insist that we try this this year. I recently discovered that I really liked cranberries when I noticed that they sold fresh ones this time of year. Never knew that. I just made cranberry bread last night and it's so good. I love the tartness. Thanks for the recipe! Hopefully the family gives it a try.
That looks great! I agree with you though that people don't readily go after the cranberries because who wants to eat something that is still in the shape of the metal can it came in?
that looks like a nice sauce. i'm gonna show my mom this recipe. she's in charge of the sauce every year and last year it was WAYYYY to sour (emphasis on the WAYYY). haha
every holiday, my favorite food is the sweet potato casserole. need i say more?
You mean you don't like how it comes with its own lines in a can?
My family has many cranberry sauce recipes, so I've been spoiled by the good stuff!
I am one of the dorks who LOVES cranberry sauce! I'll be trying this one!
YUM!!!
This looks Delicious!! I have a similiar recipe where I add pomegranites at the end...YUMMY!
I found a recipe last year somewhere online for a cranberry sauce that is very similar but you do it on the stove top instead of baking it. It is so yummy! And while you are cooking it, add a cinnamon stick to mixture and it gives it a great kick! Just remember to take out the stick when you are ready to serve it!
Hmmm, I've never done the cranberry sauce thing either. But ::husband:: LOVES it. So this year I'm trying it. I'm curious, too, as to whether it freezes well? Just wondering if I can make it this week and then pull it out before we head up north.
okay, i made it. a practice, if you will. (i'm a nervous cook). i used pineapple-orange juice because i didn't realize it. but it was delicious! we've eaten it hot & cold with harvest bread (pumpkin, walnuts, cranberries, and raisins), as a topping with granola, as a topping with ice cream, on cold cut sandwiches, and my favorite: vanilla bean ice cream, granola, AND cranberry sauce. Left it really lumpy. Loved the little punch from the (inadvertent) pineapple. Thanks for another keeper!
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