I never used to eat cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving dinner because I thought it was gross. A couple years ago my sister-in-law made homemade cranberry sauce, so I gave it a try. I was hooked! She told me how easy it was to make and I couldn’t believe it. So this year I made my own cranberry sauce and you should do the same. Trust me your guests will amazed and you will be glad you took the time to make it from scratch.
The History of Cranberry Sauce
The first people to cultivate cranberries were the Native Americans. Cranberries became commercially cultivated and sold in 1816 by Henry Hall, a Revolutionary War Veteran. Cranberry harvesting as a business did not become popular until the mid 19th century.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 bag of fresh cranberries
- 1/2 lemon zested
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of water
You will not believe how simple it is to make homemade cranberry sauce. Once you try it you will never eat the canned stuff again.
Add sugar and water to a pot over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Boil until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the cranberries and lemon zest.
Bring the cranberries to a boil. Turn the heat down and boil slowly for about 15 minutes. You will hear the cranberries pop and the sauce will start to thicken. The cranberry sauce will get a jelly like consistency. Turn off the pot and let it cool.
Put the cranberry sauce in a bowl and serve at room temperature. Your guests will not believe that you made homemade cranberry sauce. They might even ask you for the recipe.
This is just a simple cranberry sauce recipe, but there are others that add apples or berries and spices.
Here are some ideas for Thanksgiving dessert: