The tart acidity of cranberries make them the perfect companion to the richness of a well-roasted turkey. So if you love this Thanksgiving dynamic duo, cranberries and turkey, then have I got a deliciously easy, homemade cranberry sauce for you!
Cranberry cabernet sauce is made with the liquid being your favorite cabernet sauvignon wine. Already loving it? Just to make it easier for you, this recipe can be made weeks in advance and stored in a clean container in the refrigerator until the feast day itself. Right now I am boiling a soup pot full of hot water to sterilize some 12 oz canning jars (which you can find at your local hardware store for just a few dollars, I keep a dozen handy for hot fudge sauce, caramel sauce, cranberry cabernet sauce, corn relish, rendered organic bacon fat, clarified butter…the list is endless) for just this reason. I boil the glass jars on medium heat for 10 minutes, and after turning off the heat, I submerse the lids for 5 more minutes, before removing everything to dry on a clean paper towel. If you have a dishwasher, you can perform this step easily in that appliance. Please note that I am not canning this cranberry sauce for a shelf life of 12-18 months. I am simply sterilizing the interior of the jars to store this sauce/jelly safely for 4-6 weeks in the refrigerator.
Cranberry sauce is an excellent example of food alchemy! Keep in mind that what helps make cranberries a gelled sauce is (1) sugar (2) liquid (3) acid and (4) the pectin in the skins, cell walls and the area between the cells. The humble cranberry brings both the acid and pectin (not to mention the copious amounts of Vitamin C and antioxidants) to the party. The wine brings the liquid (which is also acidic and high in resveratrol as well as antioxidants). You just need to provide the sugar. You can use honey, but know that honey will not provide a gelled sauce that will hold its shape without the addition of pectin (which can be bought at any grocery store and is made from apples).
Cranberries have a remarkably high amount of pectin. Simmering the berries until they pop releases this pectin into the liquid. Boiling the mixture too vigorously will degrade the pectin’s ability to gel. Pectin is a large molecule which, in an acidic environment, is attracted to itself and will bind to other pectin molecules, forming a net-like matrix, trapping sugar-rich water molecules within it, which will solidify into a gel as it cools and contracts. Because pectin is more attracted to water molecules than to itself, we must first tie-up the water molecules by dissolving sugar in the liquid. Because the sugar binds to the water molecules first, the pectin, with no place else to go, has to bind to itself, forming the gel matrix we desire. ….so although this recipe is quick and easy with few ingredients, the devil is in the details.
This is a simple explanation for how magically cranberries form the gelled sauce we’ve come to associate with Thanksgiving. Now that I’ve broken down the components of this simple yet nutritious side dish, you begin to realize that what you’ve always thought of as a sweet, tart counterpoint to your roast turkey is actually working hard within your body to keep you healthy. Not only is the Vitamin C boosting your immune system, but the antioxidants are fighting off the cell damaging oxidative processes of aging, the resveratrol is contributing to your heart health, the cranberry juice staves off UTIs (urinary tract infections), the fiber contributes to your gut flora to regulate digestion and allow for easy absorption of nutrients….wow, how can you ignore this vibrant, hard-working little package of goodness at your Thanksgiving table?
CRANBERRY CABERNET SAUCE
Ingredients:
- 16 oz fresh cranberries (approximately 4 cups)
- 1 cup cabernet sauvignon wine (pH 3.15 – 3.85) or tangerine/orange juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 3″ stick cinnamon
- zest of 1 tangerine
Float your cranberries in a large bowl of water, pick over and discard any squishy or bruised berries, discard any stems or leaves, drain in a colander and rinse again.
In a 4 quart pot, bring the wine and sugar, salt, cinnamon stick and tangerine peel to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Don’t forget to pour yourself a glass of the remaining cabernet sauvignon purely for your own sipping enjoyment! This particular step will make this one of your favorite holiday recipes!!!
Add cranberries, bring back to a boil, then turn heat down to a low simmer. Partially cover to prevent spattering as the berries pop from the heat. Simmer 10 minutes until all the skins pop but no longer than 15 minutes. For maximum pectin extraction from the cranberry cell walls, look for a temperature of 217 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Remove from the heat, fish out the cinnamon stick (which you can rinse off, dry and keep for another use).
While still hot, push mixture through a sieve or food mill to remove the skins and peels. It will be the consistency of jam.
While still warm, pour finished sauce into jar, storage container or mold. Cover or seal and refrigerate.
This recipe yields 2 cups of dynamite cranberry sauce.
Any leftover sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for weeks and used as a condiment or jam.
