Whole Berry Cranberry Orange Sauce- Thanksgiving Prep
You would think I am cooking for an army with all that I do for Thanksgiving but really it’s a pretty small group usually no more than 8 people. Thanksgiving is like a cooking marathon and I try to do as much in advance as possible to ease the load on the big day. Over the next week I will be posting some of my recipes that I make every year for Thanksgiving. Today, exactly one week before Thanksgiving I made the cranberry compote or sauce. It’s so simple it really isn’t a recipe, I don’t really do anything fancy and it’s delicious. There are a million recipes for cranberry compote, jelly or sauce here is mine.
mise en place
Serves 8-10
1 12 oz bag fresh cranberries (cleaned and sorted)
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
zest of 1/2 orange
3/4-1 cup sugar (depending on how sweet the orange is)
pinch of salt
Bring juice, zest, sugar and salt to a boil, add cranberries when it comes to a brisk boil reduce heat.
Brisk boil
Partially cover and let boil for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour into container and bring to room temperature then refrigerate until ready to use, I make this a week in advance.
Ready for the fridge
apuginthekitchen 
I remember the first time I saw the stuff from the can… Bleccchhhh! Not in my house, of course! This looks perfectly wonderful!
I know, if you dropped it it bounced. It’s funny my Mom made everything from scratch except for cranberry sauce, never had it homemade until I was an adult. Thanks so much and Happy Thanksgiving.
Great, great recipe, Suzanne! Simple and delicious! I have never made cranberry sauce. I’ll follow your recipe for my Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you and happy Thanksgiving to the 8 of you! 🙂
It’s wonderful way too simple but thats the way I like it. Thanks Francesca and Happy Thanksgiving to you, Stefano and the children.
I made it and everyone loved it. It was delicious. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
I’m so happy, thank you for making it. Glad everyone enjoyed. It’s so simple but the orange and cranberry are a perfect combination.
Looks great, Suzanne and am looking forward to more of your Thanksgiving recipes 🙂 Am always fascinated by cranberry relishes and compotes (the DIYs, not what you find in a can) as they’re gorgeous and a great mix of textures. But I’ve never loved eating them. Still looking for the recipe that blows me away, and yours could be it as adding orange would add another dimension to flavor. And if your recipe isn’t simple, don’t know what is. Will try!
Thanks Liz, simple yes but that fresh orange juice really give s it a lovely flavor. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the cranberries, and these look perfect!! Yum.. ❤
I totally agree, I am pretty much the only one who eats it, people may take a drop here or there but it MUST be on the table. Love it! Thanks so much.
You’re very organised – I wish I could be too! This cranberry sauce looks perfect (not overly sweet)…
Thanks so much, I try. I really must be organized but no matter how organized I am there is always the last minute scramble. One day I will have a stove that can cook more than one thing at a time.
Love this! It’s almost like my boozy cranberries except without a heavy dose of Grand Marnier 🙂
Oh I love using Grand Marnier, I may have to make a second batch for adults only with that. Thanks for the inspiration!!
Such an awesome idea to get things prepped and ready before the big day – that way you hae time to really enjoy your company. And this cranberry orange sauce is one I could enjoy – very very much!
I try, to do as much as possible in advance. Thank you so much.
My favorite holiday – so excited! But can’t believe it’s that time of year already. What a great recipe and I so admire your organization!
It’s my favorite also, I love the food. Thanks so much, must be somewhat organized I am pulled in too many different directions.
I love how simple and beautiful this is. I love the color. Omg I remember my mom would always cook wonderful food growing up, but she would always serve cranberry sauce straight from the can. SO disgustint looking…do you think I ever tried it? NO way!! This one however sounds amazing!! Can’t wait to see more recipes 🙂
Oh yes, my Mom did the same thing, straight from the can cranberry, everything else from scratch. It’s funny! Thanks Brandi.
Looks great! I always do cranberries up in advance and then turn the week leading up to Thanksgiving into a cooking marathon as well!
Kenley
You and me, yep cranberries in advance then next week pie dough marathon, and the rest of the prep for Thursday. YIKES!! Thanks so much.
What a gorgeous holiday sauce recipe, I can almost smell it from here 😀
Cheers
CCU
Thanks Uru, it’s delicious!
I love homemade cranberry sauce. This is lovely Suzanne. I remember my mom opening a jellied cranberry can for years! I never liked it as a young girl, not until I started making my own did I appreciate cranberry sauce. I like how you use orange juice in yours. Happy Thanksgiving.
Me too, really disliked the stuff but felt there has to be something better because I loved the idea of the cranberries with the meal. Thanks so much.
I love almost anything cranberry and this sounds delicious. Also love the idea of adding Grand Marnier. (It’s great finding posts after the fact – the comments are sometimes as fabulous as the posts!) Early happy thanksgiving!
Thanks, I know, I never thought of Grand Marnier, now that will be delicious. Totally agree!
Yummy cranberry orange sauce, Suzanne! My sister is starting her Thanksgiving cooking this weekend. It is just a smart thing to do! 😀 Fae.
Thanks Fae, by this weekend I should have my pie dough made, every day I will do a little bit.
Ooh those cranberries look beautiful! We can’t get them fresh in Australia, we only have the dried kind. This sounds delish 🙂
Thank you, Oh wish I could send you a package of fresh cranberries they are wonderful!
The cranberry compote sounds delicious, I love the idea of adding orange juice. I hope the marathon cook-off goes well and a very Happy Thanksgiving.
Thank you, I know you don’t have Thanksgiving in Ireland so wishing you a Happy Holiday Season!
Suzanne…I love your sauce! Similar to mine (which I also make a week ahead) but I add a diced apple. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Thanks Pat, I love apple and cranberry, all my apple pies contain cranberry. I am going to make some with apple too!
I can’t wait to read your upcoming week of Thanksgiving recipes Suzanne. We are hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner this year for some friends who lived in the USA at the same time as we did. Your cranberry sauce sounds wonderful – though I’m not sure if I’ll be able to source fresh cranberries over here at this time of year – do you think frozen would work okay?
How exciting, frozen are perfect. I always buy extra packages of cranberries and freeze, they will be perfect. Thank you so much!
very USAtasting 🙂 I’ll try somedays !
Yes it is, thank you and if you try I hope you like it!
Haha, same story over here – my Thanksgiving is 6 people, but with how much I prep for it, you would think it was 20. Oh well, it’s so much fun, right? I’m just starting my prep today – making turkey stock. Will do cranberry sauce tomorrow, then compound butter and salad dressing Tuesday. Pies and dressing on Wednesday, and I may even make the gravy ahead of time this year. In years past, I’ve left too much to do for myself on Thursday, and I don’t get to relax at all. This year, I’m thinking all I’ll have to do is roast the turkey, make the mashed potatoes (maybe keep them warm in a crock pot?), bake the dressing, and get last-minute prep on everything else.
Yes exactly the same on this end. I make as much in advance as I can, I even make the mashed potatoes the day before and heat them over a water bath. I only do the turkey, rolls and vegetables but it always still ends up being a lot of work. Never a relaxing event I’m afraid. Happy Thanksgiving Lori!
It’s true – there’s just no way to relax, but it’s all worth it! One of my favorite days of the year!
Me too, I am exhausted at the end but love every minute of it.
Wonderful recipe, Suzanne, and incredibly timely (see Francesca’s earlier post)!
I love cranberries and cranberry sauce, so you have effectively been a savior of our Thanksgiving dinner! 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your wonderful party! 🙂
Thanks, I hope you all have a wonderful day also. My wine is being delivered this evening, very excited to try some new wines. Enjoy that cranberry it’s so simple but very delicious.
Isn’t a wine delivery always exciting, Suzanne? It sure is for me, I have to say! 😉
Oh it is, got my wine this evening, Can’t wait to try them.
This is how I make my cranberry sauce too, except I throw in some Grand Marnier at the end! Not for the kiddies, although I doubt it would hurt them! 😉
You are the second person to mention grand marnier, I am making a second batch tomorrow with some in it, for the adults, LOL! Happy Thanksgiving,
I do the same Suzanne, cook for an army! It must be the Italia in us! 🙂 Cranberries and orange are perfectly matched in your beautiful compote. Happy Thanksgiving Suzanne!
It’s in our DNA, I am incapable of cooking for anything less than a small army. LOL, Thanks so much Lidia!