Thanksgiving

7 Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauces and Condiments

November  6, 2015

Anyone who has ever planned a Thanksgiving menu knows the following scenario: a guest phones to RSVP, says how much he or she is looking forward to coming, and then [throat clears] the polite request... "Um, can we have the cranberry sauce from the can?" There is always one.

It's not that the canned stuff—in all its jiggly, fuschia glory—is necessarily delicious; it's that Thanksgiving dinner is bound with our strongest food memories. Your guest's mother, and grandmom before her, probably served the can of cranberry sauce every year, and it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it. Turkeys come and go, but it's the cranberry sauces and special condiments that are so memorable.

The can may be here to stay, but these 7 Thanksgiving treats are guaranteed to create new, better-tasting traditions all their own.

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Canal House's Cranberry-Port Gelée by Genius Recipes

cranberry-port gelée

  

Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish by Food52

Relish

 

Gingered Cranberry Fig Chutney by Oui, Chef

cranberry fig chutney

 

Orange-Fennel Mostarda by Elizabeth Rex

orange-fennel mostarda

 

Tuscan Onion Confit by Merrill Stubbs

tuscan onion confit

 

Sweet and Spicy Grape Chutney by Madhuja

sweet & spicy grape chutney

 

Pear, Brandy, and Walnut Cranberry Sauce by notlazy.rustic.

pear, brandy, and walnut cranberry sauce

 

Paula Wolfert's Herb Jam with Olives and Lemon by Genius Recipes

herb jam

 

What condiments and sides wouldn't it be the holidays without? Tell us in the comments.

52 Days of Thanksgiving
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52 Days of Thanksgiving

Top-notch recipes, expert tips, and all the tools to pull off the year’s most memorable feast.

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See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Bevi
    Bevi
  • Gilliwinks
    Gilliwinks
Recovering lawyer, food writer, pastry chef, and lover of food-related everything (namely: cheese, baked goods, and anything made by Mom)

2 Comments

Bevi November 6, 2015
We have had Mama Stamberg's relish grace our table for years. We call it "Shocking Pink" and no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without it!
 
Gilliwinks October 13, 2014
Those all look great but where is homemade cranberry sauce in a can. This was the recipe that first sold me on food52. Thanksgiving must-have at my house now. https://food52.com/blog/9084-homemade-cranberry-sauce-in-a-can