Cranberry Pear Sauce w/ Rosemary

Printable Recipe Here:

The holidays are here and one of my absolute favorite dishes is freshly made cranberry sauce. Not just any recipe will do. I have tried many and genuinely enjoy them all but this one is the one I come back to every time. I love the combination of cranberry and orange together but it is the rosemary that really takes this dish over the top. Not to mention it is super easy to make!

But I do have a confession to make. As a child growing up I had never tasted cranberry sauce made fresh on the stove. I used to eat the jellied cranberry sauce from the can. You know the one....

Honestly, there was nothing wrong with the canned jellied cranberry roll. It was fun to play with and slice...had a cool shape. It wasn't until I was an adult and really branched out with my culinary skills over the years that I attempted cranberry sauce from scratch. And that was last of the jellied cranberries for me...I never went back. The intense FLAVOR in comparison just blew me away. I had no idea what I had been missing all my life.

So maybe you are like I once was and you have no idea where to start or you are wondering how complicated making your own fresh cranberry sauce is. I promise...it is really easy and does not require major skills. The only thing you really want to watch for is getting your proportions right so that your sauce thickens up the way you like. I have a video posted and a printable recipe (link above) to walk you through all the steps. Below are some common questions but if you have one I have not answered message me here. I am always happy to help in anyway I can.

How far in advance can I make cranberry sauce?

This is a common question and the nice thing about this recipe it that you can make it up to several days in advance. During the holidays we enjoy so many delicious foods but often it is time consuming and the last thing you want to be doing all day when loved ones are over is slaving over the stove. Do yourself a favor and prep this dish a day or two in advance and check one more thing off your list. You'll thank me and yourself later for this! 😘

Can cranberry sauce be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze your prepared cranberry sauce. Once you have made it and allowed it to cool transfer your cranberry sauce to an airtight freezer safe container. You can freeze it up to 3 months. When you are ready to use it allow it to thaw for a day or two in the refrigerator.

Will the cranberry sauce thicken as it cools?

Yes! Cranberries are naturally rich in pectin. Pectin is a natural polymer (molecules that attach to one another forming long chains) that helps "glue" the plant cells together keeping their tissues firm. Many fruits contain pectin within their cell walls and when cooked it helps the fruit to stick together or even form a solid jelly. This is why it is so great and works well for jams and jellies. When the cranberries are cooked the pectin polymers interact and form a net that will trap sugar molecules so they can't flow allowing for the firm shape we desire. Under the right conditions they will gel. Depending on how much liquid and cooking time will be the deciding factor in how firm your sauce is. I typically like mine a little more set so I will add a cornstarch slurry to allow my sauce to thicken up while cooking and then as it cools in the refrigerator it becomes even more thick.

Am I able to can my cranberry sauce?

Cranberry sauce is really no different than a jam or jelly when it comes to canning, and it can be made a week, a month or a year ahead of time if you choose. If you’re storing it in the refrigerator, it’s best to make it no more than a week before it’s needed. If you’re canning cranberry sauce, the sky’s the limit.

Printable Recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 cups whole cranberries (fresh or frozen)

2 large pears

1 large naval orange (zest and juice)

1 1/2 cups sugar

Cornstarch slurry - 1 TBSP cornstarch w/ small amount of water

2 large rosemary sprigs

Directions:

- Add your cranberries and sugar to your sauce pot.

- Cut up your pears (dice them into medium chunks) and add to pot.

- Zest your orange and place into the pot along with the juice of the entire orange.

- With a little water, add one tablespoon of cornstarch and stir in a small bowl. When completely dissolved add to your cranberry mixture.

- Cook on medium heat until some of the natural juices release....then add your two large rosemary sprigs.

- Gently fold the rosemary in and allow the ingredients to simmer for about 20 minutes. Cranberries will start to pop and over time the mixture will thicken up some and reduce down. When most of the cranberries have opened and the sauce has thickened up some you can remove from heat and place in a glass bowl.

- Allow the sauce to cool, then cover and refrigerate.

*After completely chilled you will notice the sauce has thickened up more. If you like a really thick sauce add more cornstarch to your slurry. If you like it more loose and on the runny side you can add a 1/4 cup of water when adding your orange juice.

Watch how to make my all time favorite cranberry sauce here:

If you make this sauce I would love to hear from you or answer any questions you have. You can leave your comments on my YouTube channel. I always answer all the questions there. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for all of our latest videos!

Happy holidays ~ Enjoy!