INGREDIENTS

  • 1 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen whole cranberries (about 3 cups)
  • 3 fresh Bosc USA Pears, cored and chopped, peeling optional (about 3 cups)
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Optional, add one or more of the following:
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • ¼ cup currants
  • 1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon candied (chopped) orange peel
  • 1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger root
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
  • Pinch of ground cloves

DIRECTIONS

  1. Rinse cranberries and pick through them, discarding any that look old or shriveled. Combine all main ingredients in a large, heavy-bottomed, non-reactive pan. In other words, don’t use an aluminum, copper, or cast iron pan when cooking with high acid foods. If you are using any of the optional ingredients, reserve them until you have mashed the main ingredients.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Once the cranberries start to pop, you can mash them a bit with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon, but it isn’t necessary. If you want a chunkier sauce, stir but don’t mash the mixture. Add optional ingredients if using.
  3. Because of the high levels of natural pectin in the cranberries, the sauce thickens quickly once the cranberries skins have started to (audibly) burst. The sauce should be finished cooking within 5 minutes after the cranberries have popped.