Spiked and Spiced Cranberry Sauce
Ahh, the cranberry sauce escapade. Canned? Fresh? None at all? No matter your preference, this spiked and perfectly spiced (if I do say so myself) cranberry sauce will balance your entire holiday plate.
If you’re a fan of Samin Nosrat (aka my culinary icon, legend, and dream dinner guest) you’d know that SALT, FAT, ACID, HEAT is the key to a perfect and well balanced dish. Like any great holiday spread, there should be a balance between the salty, decadently fatty, mouthwatering acidity, and the multi-sensory experience of foods exposed to varieties of heat.
I will forever be on team homemade cranberry sauce. Literally, just write it on my tombstone. So, this holiday season, we’re breaking open a bag of fresh cranberries, taking a swig of whiskey, and zesting some orange juice for the perfect holiday feast garnish. Enjoy!
Spiked & Spiced Cranberry Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
1 medium navel orange
1 tsp orange zest
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1 lb fresh cranberries
2 tbsp unsalted butter
(2) 3” cinnamon sticks
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of fine sea salt
2 tbsp whiskey or bourbon
DIRECTIONS
Start off by ALWAYS cleaning/rinsing your cranberries super well. Be sure to watch out for any grain/dirty bits
In a saucepan, add 1 cup of water and the juice of (1) navel orange
Over medium heat, dissolve the sugars into the citrus water mixture. Bring the mixture to a low simmer. Add the cranberries.
To the saucepan, add the butter, cinnamon sticks, allspice, nutmeg, pinch of fine sea salt, orange zest, and the whiskey/bourbon. Bring to a simmer and continuously stir.
Once the cranberries begin to “pop”, stir and cover. Cook under medium-low heat for 10 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken (stir and taste as it cooks, periodically adding more water, sugar, or spices to your liking)
Let the cranberry sauce cool (it should thicken a bit; if it’s too thick to your liking, thin out with water or a splash of orange juice).
Dive in!