Okay, so I’ve always been intimidated by making cranberry sauce from scratch. I mean, the canned stuff is just so easy, you know? But this year, I decided to be brave and try the Ocean Spray recipe. You know, the one that’s literally on the bag of cranberries? Yeah, that one.
Getting Started
First, I grabbed a bag of Ocean Spray cranberries, obviously. Then I checked the recipe on the back. It’s super simple – just cranberries, sugar, and water. Seriously, that’s it!
The Cooking Process
I dumped the cranberries into a saucepan. I poured in a cup of sugar and a cup of water. Seemed like a lot of sugar, but I trusted the process (and the Ocean Spray gods).
I turned the heat on to medium-high and stirred everything together. Then, I just let it simmer. The cranberries started to pop, and it sounded kind of like tiny fireworks. It was pretty cool.
I kept an eye on it, stirring occasionally. The mixture started to thicken up after about 10 minutes. It smelled amazing – all sweet and tart.
- Cranberries popping: This is the key! You want to hear those pops.
- Thickness: It should coat the back of a spoon.
- Smell: Your kitchen will smell like holiday goodness.
The Final Result!
I took the saucepan off the heat and let it cool completely. As it cooled, it thickened up even more. I poured into a serving bowl and refrigerated until dinner time. It’s so much better made ahead of time!
Honestly, it was way easier than I thought! And the taste? So much better than the canned stuff. It was tart, sweet, and just…real. Like, real cranberry flavor. I’m officially a convert. No more canned jelly for me! I will never look back after this, fresh is the only way to go.
