Two-Texture Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Warm Spice

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A jar-worthy cranberry sauce built in two stages: two-thirds of the berries cook down into a glossy, jammy base, then the rest go in at the end so they stay plump and burst on the spoon. Maple, orange zest, fresh ginger and a whole-spice infusion keep it tart and grown-up instead of candy-sweet, and a splash of cider vinegar at the end makes it taste bright for weeks in the fridge. Makes enough for a holiday table plus leftovers for sandwiches and cheese boards.

Ingredients

• 24 oz fresh or frozen cranberries (two 12-oz bags), divided
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 oranges)
• 1/4 cup water

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise pod
• 4 whole allspice berries
• 2 strips orange peel, removed with a vegetable peeler
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 2 tsp finely grated orange zest
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Sort the cranberries, discarding any that are soft, shriveled or brown. Rinse and drain well. Measure out about 16 oz (roughly 4 cups) for the base and set the remaining 8 oz (about 2 cups) aside in a bowl for finishing. If using frozen berries, do not thaw.
2. In a 3- to 4-quart nonreactive saucepan (stainless steel or enameled), combine the sugar, maple syrup, orange juice, water, cinnamon stick, star anise, allspice berries, orange peel strips, grated ginger and salt. Set over medium heat and stir until the sugar fully dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes, then bring to a simmer and let the spices steep for 3 minutes so the syrup picks up their flavor.
3. Add the 16 oz of cranberries for the base. Return to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until the berries pop and collapse and the liquid thickens to a loose jam, 10 to 12 minutes. You will hear them burst in the first 4 to 5 minutes; keep the bubbles lazy rather than a hard boil so the sauce does not scorch.
4. Stir in the reserved 8 oz of cranberries. Cook just 3 to 4 more minutes over medium-low, stirring gently once or twice, until these berries are heated through and only about half of them have split. They should still look round and glossy — this is what gives the finished sauce its two textures. Do not stir vigorously or they will all break down.
5. Remove from the heat. Fish out and discard the cinnamon stick, star anise, allspice berries and orange peel strips. Stir in the orange zest, cider vinegar and black pepper. Taste: it should be assertively tart with a sweet finish. If it is too sharp for you, stir in maple syrup 1 tablespoon at a time.
6. Let the sauce cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to clean glass jars or a bowl. It will look thin while hot and will set to a spoonable, lightly jellied consistency as it chills. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, before serving; the flavor deepens noticeably by day two. Serve cool or at room temperature.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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