While a must at Thanksgiving, I do make this relish for Christmas, Easter, or just to have a fresh(ish) jam/jelly for toast, yogurt, and more. The standard recipe is enhanced with the addition of orange juice, peel, and a hint of vanilla. Any citrus will do, but oranges add the most brightness to the cranberries.
Ingredients:
- 1 12 ounce bag of cranberries
- 1 Cup sugar
- 1 Cup water
- 1 Cinnamon stick (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 1 orange peel
- Juice of one orange
- Pinch of salt
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract (I prefer Madagascar)
Directions
- Place all the ingredients except the vanilla into a medium sauce pan over medium hear and bring to a low boil.
- Stirring constantly, slowly press the cranberries as they burst in the heat to release their juice and create the jelly. Adjust temperature as needed to avoid any boiling over.
- Once most of the cranberries have burst, remove from heat and let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Once cooled, stir in the vanilla extract. Adding the extract to the boiling mixture will reduce it’s flavor, so it’s best to add at the end.
- Transfer to an airtight container and place in the fridge. Option to remove the orange peel and cinnamon stick (I like to leave in as they’ll both continue to add flavor).
- Serve chilled as a side, jam on toast, or topping on yogurt or ice cream.
