10 ways to use Cranberry Sauce - Stokes Sauces (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with a jar of cranberry sauce? ›

Adding a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon or orange zest, a tablespoon of chopped candied peel, or even a splash of juice to your canned sauce will brighten flavors and bring in some homemade flavor.

Homemade cranberry sauce keeps wonderfully in the freezer for up to three months. Pour your cooled cranberry sauce into freezer-friendly zip-top plastic bags, and remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing.

To refrigerate, transfer to a covered glass or plastic container, and it'll keep for 10 to 14 days. To freeze, transfer to a covered, airtight container or freezer-safe bag, and it'll stay fresh-tasting in your freezer for about 1 month. Beyond that, it's still safe to eat (though less fresh-tasting) for up to a year.

The traditional way of serving jellied cranberry sauce is sliced into rounds. With the column set on its side, slice into ¼-inch thick rounds and then arrange the slices on a serving platter. Serve the slices plain, garnished as desired, or read on for easy upgrades.

"Instead, start by stirring in one tablespoon maple syrup and one teaspoon of a sweet drink like apple juice, orange juice, or fruity white or red wine. Add more to taste. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt (in small amounts, it intensifies sweetness)."

It's perfectly fine to serve up cranberry sauce — whole berry or jelled — straight out of the can. But in my experience, heating the canned sauce up takes its flavor to the next level. Plus, it becomes a little more aesthetically pleasing.

But why? Ocean Spray says this is to get the cranberry sauce out in one intact piece. “The rounded part of the can that looks like the bottom has an air bubble in it,” Ocean Spray's representative explains. The bubble is there so you can “break the seal the sauce makes with the can.”

Is cranberry sauce good for your stomach? ›

Digestive Health

Compounds called proanthocyanidins provide cranberries' vibrant color and also work as antimicrobial agents. They can help prevent bad bacteria, such as E. coli, from colonizing your gut and may also strengthen the gut barrier and reduce inflammation in and around your digestive tract.

Unopened canned cranberry sauce can last a year in the pantry but make sure to check the "best before" date to make sure it hasn't expired, and once open, it can be stored in a container with a tightly fitting lid for up to two weeks.

You must cook the sauce for at least 10 minutes at a full boil for the pectin to react with the sugar and create the proper gelled texture. It is also important to let the cranberry sauce cool at room temperature. Moving it to the refrigerator too soon may also affect the gel.

Cranberry juice that has started to spoil may emit an off odor reminiscent of fermentation or vinegar. If the juice emits any unusual odors, it's advisable to discard it. As for taste, any sourness or deviation from the juice's natural tangy flavor can indicate spoilage.

It's perfectly fine to serve up cranberry sauce — whole berry or jelled — straight out of the can. But in my experience, heating the canned sauce up takes its flavor to the next level. Plus, it becomes a little more aesthetically pleasing.

Carefully cut off and discard the netting from the rested turkey; slice the turkey crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Divide the mashed potato and cooked Brussels sprouts between 2 dishes. Top with the sliced turkey and cranberry sauce. Enjoy!

Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.