Simple Cranberry Sauce

Four ingredients are all you need to make Thanksgiving-ready homemade cranberry sauce.

Note: Just to impress my friends and intimidate my enemies, I make my own mold by joining two clean 16-ounce cans together. The resulting tube of jiggling goodness is an awesome sight to behold.

This recipe first appeared in Season 12 of Good Eats.

Photo by Lynne Calamia

ACTIVE TIME: 30

TOTAL TIME: 12 30

Yield: to 8 servings

Software

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup 100% cranberry juice (not cocktail)
1 cup honey
1 pound (4 cups) fresh cranberries (washed and sorted)

Procedure

Combine the orange juice, cranberry juice, and honey in a 2-quart saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens, 15 minutes. Do not cook for more than 15 minutes as the pectin will start to break down and the sauce will not set as well. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Carefully spoon the cranberry sauce into a 3-cup mold. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator, overturn the mold, and slide out the sauce. Slice and serve.