Real Cranberry Sauce - sugar

Method

• Optional - pecans, raisins, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice...
• Wash and pick over cranberries
• Put washed cranberries into a strainer bowl
• Cut the orange in half and juice it into a large mixing cup
• Cut the peel from the orange half and grate into a small cup
• In a saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.
• Add cranberries and juice from the orange, return to a boil.
• Reduce heat, simmer until cranberries burst (appx 5-10 min)
• CRITICAL to success, cranberries must pop to release the natural pectin that thickens the sauce.
• At this point, you can add all number of optional ingredients.
• We typically mix in a half cup of roughly chopped pecans with a few strips of grated orange peel, chopped apple, pumpkin pie spice, ...
• Remove from heat.
• Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator.
• Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.