Cranberry sauce two ways

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year I’m making cranberry sauce for dinner at D’s parents’, and I decided to go with two different versions: one traditional and one raw.

The traditional sauce is my uncle’s recipe – cranberries, orange juice and zest, and sugar cooked together on the stovetop.

The raw version is a bit more unusual – cranberries and whole oranges run through the food processor, with a dash of Grand Marnier to offset the slight bitterness of the orange peel and pith.

I like both, and I’ll be curious to see which is more popular this evening!

Cranberry sauce à la Uncle R

3 12 oz packages cranberries
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 2 oranges)
1 tsp orange zest
1 1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste)

Combine all ingredients in large saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then cook at a simmer until the berries begin to pop and break down.  I smash some of them against the side of the pan to help the process. Cook until the berries are mostly broken down and the sauce is thickened.

Raw cranberry relish

12 oz package cranberries
1 orange
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp Grand Marnier

Combine all ingredients in food processor until evenly chopped.  Scale up recipe as desired – doubling this to 2 bags of cranberries makes quite a lot!  Ideally, make this a day in advance so that the flavors can meld.