Granny’s Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Updated 11/22/2023

Growing up, Thanksgiving or Christmas always included the traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. The stuffing, the mashed potatoes, squash, peas, carrots, gravy and that shiny red condiment, cranberry sauce.

Having turkey dinner with granny and her homemade cranberry sauce brings back fond memories. Granny shared this recipe with some of us. Cousin Jason being one, who always serves this traditional recipe with turkey dinner. So as a tribute to granny, we agreed to share it here.

Cranberry vs gravy

Cranberry sauce or turkey gravy. Both? One more than the other? When it comes to the serving sliced turkey meat, these two accompaniments are customary. While turkey gravy enhances the savory elements of the meal, cranberry sauce adds a burst of sweetness and acidity, creating a the perfect balance to the meal.

Turkey gravy

That gravy boat, with its rich caramel-brown gravy is perfect for moistening those slices of white turkey meat. The velvetty blend of turkey drippings and broth thickened with flour, goes great with mashed potatoes and other sides too.

Fresh whole cranberry sauce

The sauce made with fresh whole berries simmered in sugar and water is both sweet and tart. The dash of orange juice adds the ideal blend of fruit flavour. It works beautifully to balance the savory, rich qualities of the roast turkey and the sides.

Perfect for the palette

If you find fatty gravy difficult to digest, then cutback and replace it with cranberry sauce. Besides the nutritional benefits of cranberries, the sauce also works as a palette refresher.

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