Ingredients:

  • 1 (12 oz) bag fresh cranberries, rinsed and sorted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp packed orange zest
  • 1 large whole cinnamon stick
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves or nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Citrus: Using a fine grater, zest the orange, taking care to avoid the bitter white pith. Set aside.
  2. Combine Liquids and Sweetener: In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of orange juice, water, orange zest, salt, cinnamon stick, and ground spice (cloves/nutmeg).
  3. Create the Syrup: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat slightly to maintain a lively simmer.
  4. Add the Fruit: Tip the rinsed cranberries into the boiling syrup mixture. Stir once to coat thoroughly.
  5. Simmer and Pop: Continue to simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally. After about 5–8 minutes, the cranberries will begin to ‘pop’ (their skins will burst). This releases the natural pectin.
  6. Thicken: Once most of the berries have popped and the sauce begins to look visibly thicker (coating the back of a spoon lightly), remove the pan from the heat. This typically takes 12–15 minutes total.
  7. Final Brightness: Discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in the 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice. Taste the mixture and add more sugar, if needed.
  8. Cool Down: Transfer the relish to a clean, heatproof container. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature (about 1 hour).
  9. Chill: Cover the relish tightly and transfer it to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, for the texture to fully set into a proper Cranberry Relish consistency.
  10. Serve: Serve chilled or at cool room temperature alongside your holiday meal.