Cranberry sauce, is the utmost essential holiday side dish or condiment. What? You don’t agree? I’m ready to throw down with a beautiful turkey sandwich with salt, pepper, mayo and cranberry sauce and convince anyone that it is delicious. How to kick it up a notch…add Brandy. Trust me, heads are going to turn when you tell them you brought Brandied Orange Cranberry Sauce for the table.
I started making homemade cranberry sauce a few years ago and there really is no comparison. Now I’ll be upfront, I’m pretty sure my kids prefer the stuff that slides out a can, but in the absence of that they will eat the homemade stuff. If you’re going to all the trouble involved with making a big turkey dinner, with dressing, potatoes...the works….adding a little extra time to make cranberry sauce is definitely worth it.
I’m really fortunate to live so close to Indian Garden Farms which is home to one of the oldest cranberry bogs in operation in Canada! It’s a beautiful drive up to the farm anytime of the year, but especially in the fall.
The brandy and orange really combine to add a fullness and flavor to this cranberry sauce that is amazing! It just gives it that little extra something special. A jar of this done up would be a wonderful gift to bring along during the holidays as a hostess gift or if you are invited for dinner. Plus it has brandy…it sounds fancy. 😉
- ⅓ C orange zest- about 4 large oranges
- 2 C water
- 2 C sugar
- ⅔ C orange juice- squeezed from the oranges
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 C fresh cranberries
- 1 tbsp Brandy
- In a small pan over medium heat combine the orange zest and water
- Cover and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes
- Drain, reserving zest and ⅓ cup liquid
- To the reserved liquid, add the sugar, orange juice and lemon juice.
- Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes uncovered, stirring often
- Add cranberries,increase heat to medium and gently boil for about 10 minutes or until the cranberries have popped
- Remove from heat and stir in Brandy
- Pour into jars and allow to cool
- Can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks
This Brandied Orange Cranberry Sauce is delicious with chicken, beef and pork, baked on a round of Brie cheese or used as a condiment on sandwiches.
Do you make your own cranberry sauce? Any special ingredients in it? Leave a comment and let us know!
What happens to the reserved orange zest, Jennifer?