Why isn t my cranberry sauce thickening?

Why didn't my cranberry sauce thicken? Cranberries have a lot of natural pectin, the ingredient that makes cooked fruit gel . To release that pectin, you need to cook the berries until they burst and can form a bond with the sugar.

How many people does 1 can of cranberry sauce feed?

Cranberry sauce: A 12-ounce package of fresh cranberries makes about 2 ¼ cups of sauce; a 16-ounce can has 6 servings .

How many cans of cranberry sauce does Ocean Spray make?

70 million is the number of cans of cranberry sauce Ocean Spray produces a year.

Why do you open a can of cranberry sauce upside down?

The cans are "filled and labeled upside down with the rounded edge on top and the sharp can-like edge on the bottom to keep the jelly whole ." This creates an air bubble vacuum on the rounded side (the top) so customers "can swipe the edge of the can with a knife to break the vacuum and the log will easily slide out."

Why is my canned cranberry sauce runny?

The pectin released from the fruit bonds with the sugar and gives the sauce its gel-like consistency; If your sauce is lacking in sugar there may be nothing for the pectin to bond with , which will result in a runny sauce, per Eating Well.

Why is my homemade cranberry sauce watery?

Mistake #2: Your Cranberry Sauce Is Too Runny But what if you've been cooking it forever and it's still not right? You may have added too much liquid to the cranberries . In addition to pectin, cranberries contain water, which means you only need to add a splash of liquid to get the cooking going.

What percentage of cranberry juice is in Ocean Spray cranberry juice?

Each bottle is 100% cranberry juice, made from the juice of over 850 cranberries. It's a delicious way to get the health benefits of cranberry in a pure, authentic form. Plus, it contains no added sugar, preservatives, or artificial flavors and is non-GMO. Enjoy Pure Cranberry with sparkling water or in a smoothie!

Why is whole cranberry sauce scarce?

Whether you're a fan of jellied or a whole berry, store bought or homemade, warm or cold, cranberry sauce is a holiday staple. Unfortunately, thanks to high temperatures and a widespread drought , the nation's cranberry crop is suffering, the New York Post reports.

Why is canned cranberry sauce better?

While there are some editors who prefer homemade cranberry sauce, the canned variety also has quite a following. " There's something so beautifully perfect about the texture of canned cranberry sauce, and none of those homemade mess will ever compete ," says Senior Digital Food Editor Kimberly Holland.

How do you fix sauce that is not thickening?

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency.

Will my cranberry sauce thicken as it cools?

The sauce will thicken as it cools . If you want a cranberry mold that holds its shape, continue to boil the mixture so that more pectin is released from the fruit, additional water evaporates, and the sauce becomes thick enough to set into a firm gel.

Why is my sauce not thickening?

How do you make a sauce thicker? The easiest way to thicken a sauce is by reducing the amount of liquid . This can be done by simmering your sauce or bringing it to a full boil—do this uncovered, so the steam can escape.

What is the best way to thicken sauce that has become too watery?

Cornstarch or arrowroot You'll need about 1 tablespoon for every cup of liquid in the recipe. Mix the cornstarch with equal parts water to create a slurry and pour it into the pot. Whisk continuously over high heat until the cornstarch is well incorporated and the sauce starts to thicken.

Canning Cranberry Sauce (2024)

Published by: Adina November 22, 2021 2 Comments

Canning cranberry sauce to have it ready on time for the Thanksgiving meal or Christmas dinner is easy. This homemade sauce is quick to make and has more flavor than any store-bought brand.

Jump to Recipe

Do you want to save some precious time on Thanksgiving? Preparing this huge holiday meal takes a lot of time and energy, so having a few items ready in advance means a lot. Canning cranberry sauce a few days, weeks, or even months in advance is practical and easy.

And should you happen to make a few extra jars and can them, you can give them to your friends for Christmas; for instance, this homemade cranberry sauce for canning makes a wonderful, delicious gift for the holiday season.

The best about this sauce?

Once you’ve seen how delicious and easy canning cranberry sauce is, you’ll never go back to store-bought.
It tastes fantastic, a perfect balance of sweet and sour, so much better than a can of cranberry sauce. It’s not overly sweet like the canned stuff, and it is full of flavor. Using star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and chili flakes is worth it! You will love every spoonful of it.
Easy recipe: This cranberry sauce recipe for canning is so simple; all you must do is mix the ingredients and fill the jars.
Quick: It takes about 20 minutes to cook the sauce and another 10 to preserve it.
Make in advance: That is probably the best about it! You can make days in advance and refrigerate it or months in advance and can or freeze it.
Perfect for turkey: Try it Dutch Oven Turkey, Red Wine Turkey, Turkey Wings, or Slow-Cooked Turkey Breast. And check out our Best 12 Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes while you're at it.

Recipe ingredients

Fresh cranberries (or frozen). If frozen, let them defrost for about an hour or so, or you can use them directly from frozen.
Sugar: I use plain white sugar, ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons. If you like it sweeter, you can add up to one scant cup of sugar. You can also make it with less sugar, about ½ cup, but I would not go any lower than that. Brown sugar is great as well.
Oranges: You will need its juice and zest, so it is preferable to use an organic, unwaxed orange. You need 120 ml/ ½ cup of orange juice; this means the juice of one or two larger oranges depending on their size.
Apple juice: Preferably unsweetened. If you don’t want to buy extra apple juice, but you did already buy a bag of oranges, feel free to use more oranges instead of apple juice.
Apple cider vinegar: This sort fits the cranberry sauce for canning well, but if you don’t have to use red wine vinegar or basically any vinegar you have.
Spices: Warm spices perfect for the holiday season like star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, red chili flakes, fine sea salt, black pepper.

How to make cranberry sauce?

Prepare oranges: Wash the oranges with hot water. Dry them well and zest them. Halve and juice them.
Make syrup: Combine sugar, orange zest and juice, apple juice, vinegar, and spices in a medium saucepan (1). Let come to a boil on medium-high heat, often stirring to help dissolve the sugar. Turn the heat down and simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes without a lid, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon (2).

Cook berries: In the meantime, wash cranberries. Add them to the pot (3), and cover, leaving a crack open. It is best to cover the pot because the berries might “jump” out of the pot once they start popping. Once they stop popping, remove the lid.
Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring several times in between (4).

Sterilize the jars (if you plan to can the sauce) while the sauce is simmering. Let drain upside down on a clean towel until ready to use.
Adjust the taste of the sauce with a little more salt if necessary. Remove the whole spices. You can mash the soft berries with a potato masher if you like, but I never do.
Fill the jars with the whole berry sauce leaving about 2 cm/ ¾ inch headspace. Close the lids tightly.

How to can the sauce?

The procedure for cranberry sauce canning is easy.
Place the jars in the simmering water in the water bath canner. Cover and bring to a boil.
Simmer: Once the water starts simmering again, can the jars for 15 minutes.
Rest: Turn off the heat, but leave the jars of hot sauce in the canner for another 5 minutes.
Remove using a jar lifter to avoid burning yourself with the hot water.
Cool: Place jars on a folded kitchen towel and let cool completely.
Check the seals before transferring to the pantry or cellar. Keep any jar that didn’t seal in the refrigerator or freeze it.

Expert tips and FAQ

Spices: If you don’t care about the spices, leave them out. I prefer using them for extra flavor, but canning cranberry sauce without them will still be tasty.
The jars should be hot or very warm when you fill them. If they are cold, they might crack when you fill them with the hot cranberry sauce.
Use a jar lifter to handle the hot jars and lids, and wear mitts to avoid burning your hands.
This recipe makes about 3 small jars of sauce or 4-5 generous cups.

Recipe FAQ

Do I have to sterilize the jars?

If you don’t can the jars, sterilize them first. Place them in a large pot, cover them with water and boil them for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water shortly before filling and let them drain upside down on a very clean kitchen towel. Sterilize lids in boiling water for 5 minutes.
If you can them, you don’t have to sterilize them. According to the latest research, you don’t have to sterilize jars before canning as long as you can them for at least 10 minutes. However, they must be squeaky clean, including the lids. I prefer to wash them in the dishwasher shortly before I need them and leave them there until ready to fill. Keeping them in the closed dishwater will keep them warm as well.

Do I have to can the sauce?

No, I only can it if I make at least the double batch. Otherwise, I keep it in the fridge, or I freeze it.

How long does it keep?

Refrigerator: For one week and up to 10 days. Once you’ve opened a jar, try to consume the whole cranberry sauce within 3-4 days.
Freezer: For at least 6 months. If you freeze the sauce, don’t screw the lids on top very tightly. Instead, place them loosely on top and only close them once the sauce is solid.
Canned: For at least 6 months in the pantry, cellar, or another cool, dark place.

How to serve the sauce?

You can serve it at room temperature or heat it gently before serving. Reheat it in a small pan stirring frequently. Add a tiny splash of water or juice to help it loosen a bit.
Serve with roasted turkey, chicken, or other meats.
Use it to make sandwiches with leftover turkey.

More Thanksgiving side dishes:

21 Potato Side Dishes for Thanksgiving
Cornbread in the Cast-Iron Skillet
Green Bean Casserole without Soup
Buttered Leeks
Buttered Vegetables

Do you like this recipe?

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