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Cranberry Orange Sauce is easy to make at home, and it’ll be the star of your holiday table. While you can make it fresh the day you need it, canning cranberry sauce ahead of time is an easy way to reduce stress around the holidays.
There’s something about the combination of cranberries and oranges that just screams the holiday season. The tartness of the cranberries perfectly balances out the sweetness of the oranges, creating a flavor profile that is both delicious and satisfying. And what better way to preserve this seasonal delight than by canning it?
Canning cranberry orange sauce not only locks in the freshness of the fruit, but it also makes for a great addition to any holiday table. Plus, it’s a fun and interactive way to get the whole family involved in the kitchen.
And you don’t have to save it just for the holidays, either. This delicious, versatile condiment can be enjoyed year-round. Whether you’re serving up a holiday feast or spicing up your weekday meals, this zesty sauce is sure to bring a burst of flavor to any dish.
Ready to learn how to make it? It’s easier than you might think. Here’s how to do it.
Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Sauce
The ingredients for canning cranberry orange sauce are quite simple. To make a canner batch of one-pint or two half-pint jars, you’ll need the following:
- 3 cups of cranberries (if frozen, about a 12 oz bag)
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 orange, including the juice and zest (you’ll need about ¼ cup juice and 3 tsp fresh zest)
- 1 cinnamon stick
This recipe makes a small batch, but it can be doubled or tripled to make either 4 or 6 half pints. Do not use more than 3x on this recipe, or it won’t heat evenly and may not set.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Sauce
First, you need to prepare your canning jars: Wash them in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Sterilize them by placing them in a pot of boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Keep them hot until ready to use. Alternatively, you can use your dishwasher if you don’t want to go through this entire process by hand.
In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries with water and cook over medium-high heat until they’re soft and popping, or for about 10 minutes. If you want to reduce the foaming, add the butter before sieving or mashing the berries.
Sieve the cranberries through a fine mesh sieve to remove the skins and any fibrous bits. This step is optional, and you can skip it if you want whole-berry cranberry sauce.
Next, return the cranberry puree to the saucepan. Add the sugar, cinnamon stick, and orange zest and stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for three minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Remove the pan from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Skim off any foam, if necessary.
Carefully ladle the hot cranberry sauce into the prepared hot jars, leaving half an inch of headspace. Remove any air bubbles.
Wipe the rims of the jars with a dampened clean paper towel to ensure a nice, clean seal. Place the lids on top of the jars and screw on the bands finger-tight.
Canning Cranberry Orange Sauce
Next, you’ll process the jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes (for pints and half pints). Be sure to adjust for altitude.
Before starting the canning process, make sure the jars are completely submerged in boiling water and that there’s at least an inch of water covering them. Add more boiling water if necessary.
Carefully remove the jars from the canner using tongs or a jar lifter. Place them on a heat-proof surface and let them cool, undisturbed, for at least 24 hours.
After the 24 hours has ended, check the seals by pressing on the center of the lids. If it’s concave and doesn’t move, it’s properly sealed. If it pops up and down, it’s not sealed and should be refrigerated and used within a week.
Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Then you can enjoy your homemade cranberry orange sauce with your holiday meals, or give them as gifts to your loved ones!
Altitude Adjustments for Cranberry Sauce
Water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitudes, so jars need to be processed a bit longer as you go up in elevation. Here are the altitude adjustments for canning cranberry sauce (all times are for both pints and half pints):
- For Under 1,000 Feet in Elevation – 15 minutes
- For 1,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation – 20 minutes
- Above 6,001 Feet in Elevation – 25 minutes
Serving Cranberry Orange Sauce
This sauce is definitely a crowd pleaser – and the beauty of it is that it can be served alongside all kinds of dishes. It’s a perfect accompaniment to traditional Thanksgiving fare, like turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes.
But don’t be afraid to get creative! It could also be a great addition to chicken or pork dishes, or even as a sweet and tangy topping for ice cream or pancakes.
When it comes to serving the sauce, luckily, it’s practically ready to go straight out of the pot. No need to add any ingredients or fuss with it too much. If you prefer your sauce warm, you can throw it in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
On the other hand, if you like a chilled sauce, pop it in the fridge for a bit before dishing it out. The choice is yours!
Cranberry Orange Sauce
Cranberry Orange Sauce is easy to make at home, and it'll be the star of your holiday table. While you can make it fresh the day you need it, canning cranberry sauce ahead of time is an easy way to reduce stress around the holidays.
Ingredients
- 3 cups of cranberries (if frozen, about a 12 oz bag)
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 orange, including the juice and zest (you'll need about ¼ cup juice and 3 tsp fresh zest)
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Prepare your canning jars: Wash them in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Sterilize them by placing them in a pot of boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Keep them hot until ready to use.
- In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries with water and cook over medium-high heat until they're soft and popping, or for about 10 minutes.
- Sieve the cranberries through a fine mesh sieve to remove the skins and any fibrous bits.
- Return the cranberry puree to the saucepan. Add the sugar, cinnamon stick, and orange zest and stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for three minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Remove the pan from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Skim off any foam, if necessary.
- Carefully ladle the hot cranberry sauce into the prepared hot jars, leaving half an inch of headspace. Remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a dampened clean paper towel to ensure a nice, clean seal.
- Place the lids on top of the jars and screw on the bands finger-tight.
- Process the jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the jars from the canner using tongs or a jar lifter. Place them on a heat proof surface and let them cool, undisturbed, for at least 24 hours.
- Check the seals by pressing on the center of the lids.
- Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
Notes
This recipe makes a small batch, but it can be doubled or tripled to make either 4 or 6 half pints. Do not use more than 3x on this recipe, or it won't heat evenly and may not set.
Altitude Adjustments for Cranberry Sauce
Water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitudes, so jars need to be processed a bit longer as you go up in elevation. Here are the altitude adjustments for canning cranberry sauce (all times are for both pints and half pints):
- For Under 1,000 Feet in Elevation - 15 minutes
- For 1,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation - 20 minutes
- Above 6,001 Feet in Elevation - 25 minutes
Autumn Canning Recipes
Keep your canner running this fall with these seasonal canning recipes:
Ann-Marie
I’m sorry if I’m too literal and confused, but in the recipe you say to only add the orange zest what about the orange juice and the orange itself?