Spiced Cabernet Cranberry Sauce

This Cabernet cranberry sauce recipe is spiced with cinnamon, cloves and a nice pinch of nutmeg. An absolutely perfect complement for Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas goose! It’s bright, complex, so simple to prepare and such an elegant alternative to jiggly, canned cranberry sauce.

It also takes just 15 minutes to make, lasts perfectly in the fridge for a week and a half, it freezes for months and thaws as deliciously as when it was first made!

I’m having a small Thanksgiving with just my husband and 2 friends this year, but I want everything I make to be extra special, and I can’t wait to serve this cranberry sauce!

I’ll be making my roasted duck instead of turkey, but everything else will be perfectly traditional. An Anjou pear and mushroom stuffing with baked goat cheese mashed potatoes, and my incredibly simple crispy roasted cauliflower with cheddar and parmesan!

For dessert, I’ll be making a cranberry apple crisp and debating whether or not mini-pumpkin pies will be served as well. Suffice it to say, I’ve told our guests to bring Tupperware for the left-overs.

Here’s the Process!

• First, we’ll make a tiny bundle of cloves.
• Next, we’ll simmer everything but the cranberries for 3 minutes.
• Then, we’ll add the cranberries and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Finally, we’ll let the cranberry sauce cool.

A Few Tips:

1. You can make this recipe with either frozen or fresh cranberries – just make sure they’re not too ripe.

You want to be sure your cranberries are nice and firm, not soft and mushy, before they go into the sauce pan. When they’re perfectly fresh, they’re just right, and frozen cranberries are frozen at the peak of freshness, so they’ll be just fine too.

2. Cranberries POP while simmering, so watch out!

Be aware that the cranberries will pop as they heat in the pan. They may not “explode” or burst in such a way that they’ll cause any harm, but they might splatter a little juice, so you may want to use a vented lid to safeguard your shirt.

A Few Common Questions:

1. What meats can cranberry sauce be served with?

This cranberry sauce will go perfectly with turkey, pork, Cornish game hen, roasted chicken, ham and duck.

2. Should cranberry sauce be served hot or cold?

Cranberry sauce is traditionally served either cold or at room temperature.

3. How long will it last in the fridge?

It will keep perfectly for a week and a half in a sealed, refrigerated container, and will last for months if frozen. Simply thaw at room temperature for an hour if frozen.

4. What do I need to make this recipe?

• measuring cup
• sauce pan
• 3”x 3” square of cheesecloth or tea egg
• baker’s string

How to Make Spiced Cabernet Cranberry Sauce – Step by step

1. Use a little cheese cloth to make a tiny bundle of 1 tsp. of cloves, and tie it with a string. You can also use a tea egg if you don’t have cheese cloth.

2. In a sauce pan, add 2 oz. Cabernet wine, 2 oz. orange juice, 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, 4 oz. white granulated sugar, zest from one small orange (about a teaspoon), 2 cinnamon sticks, a pinch of nutmeg and the bundle of cloves. Bring to a simmer over MEDIUM heat. About 3 minutes.

3. Add 6 oz. cranberries (fresh or frozen) and allow to simmer for 10 minutes on LOW, stirring occasionally.

4. Remove from heat and pour everything, including cinnamon sticks and clove bundle, into a bowl or container to refrigerate for 1 hour. Don’t worry if it appears a little runny. It will gel as it cools. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves after 1 hour.

Keep sauce refrigerated for up to a week and a half or freeze for up to 12 months. Thaw at room temperature when ready to serve.

I hope you love this spiced Cabernet cranberry sauce as much as I do, and have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

Help Yourself To More Thanksgiving Recipes!

• Thanksgiving Salad with Beet, Pear & Apple Cider Vinaigrette
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Risotto with Caramelized Onions
• Colorful Thanksgiving Crudités
• Pumpkin Flan with Chai Whipped Cream

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