Here's another suggestion, also applicable whether you freeze or are simply making your cranberry sauce a few days ahead of time -- which you should. (See below.) Reserve some cranberries that are not cooked. If freezing the sauce, just wrap those whole berries and freeze them, raw, at the same time. Take the cranberry sauce out the morning before you plan to eat it, to let it defrost. In the evening, chop the raw cranberries and stir them into the sauce. They will brighten up the flavor and add a bit more texture.
I discovered this a few years ago and include it as a step in this cranberry sauce recipe I posted a year later: https://food52.com/recipes/24974-breakthrough-cranberry-sauce-bay-leaves-optional-but-recommended
Also, for anyone reading this who is not going to freeze your cranberry sauce, try to make the sauce on the Sunday or Monday before Thanksgiving. Cranberry sauce is a condiment. Like just about every other condiment, it tastes much better after resting for 3 or 4 days.
Put it in the back of your fridge to keep it nice and cold. On the night before Thanksgiving, stir a handful of (reserved) chopped raw cranberries into the sauce. You'll like the results!
Happy Thanksgiving. ;o)
Whatever you do, may I respectfully suggest that, if the recipe calls for nuts, you shouldn't add them until shortly before serving (and toast them, for better flavor). Adding nuts at any time sooner than an hour or so before eating the sauce will make them soggy and soft. Also, the nuts' flavor tends to be overwhelmed by the bolder flavor of the cranberries if in contact for any length of time.
This applies whether making ahead to freeze, or not. ;o)
Hi Suzanne:
I don't know which cranberry sauce recipe you saw (I did a quick search) but I want to tell you that most if not all cooked cranberry sauces can be made ahead and either refrigerated or frozen, in fact, they improve in flavor if allowed to cure a day or two ahead. I have already made mine (I always make it a week or two in advance). It is a sweet and spicy chutney and the recipe directions tell you to let it cure for a day or two, after which it is delicious (when just cooked, not so much). Whichever you decide to make, they are very amenable to freezing or refrigerating and last quite a long time under refrigeration (we usually polish ours off a couple of weeks after Thanksgiving).
Susan, the recipe is from the San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook and is from Laxmi Hiremath
I found it online, in the original she calls for 1 cup sugar. I use less cayenne:
http://spicelines.com/2006/11/21/recipe-spicy-cranberry-tangerine-chutney-with-ginger-and-cardamom-not-your-grandmothers-cranberry-sauce/ , also in the original recipe the walnuts are un-toasted, but I'm sure either way is good. I refrigerate after cooling rather than letting it sit out overnight.
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I discovered this a few years ago and include it as a step in this cranberry sauce recipe I posted a year later: https://food52.com/recipes/24974-breakthrough-cranberry-sauce-bay-leaves-optional-but-recommended
Also, for anyone reading this who is not going to freeze your cranberry sauce, try to make the sauce on the Sunday or Monday before Thanksgiving. Cranberry sauce is a condiment. Like just about every other condiment, it tastes much better after resting for 3 or 4 days.
Put it in the back of your fridge to keep it nice and cold. On the night before Thanksgiving, stir a handful of (reserved) chopped raw cranberries into the sauce. You'll like the results!
Happy Thanksgiving. ;o)
This applies whether making ahead to freeze, or not. ;o)
I don't know which cranberry sauce recipe you saw (I did a quick search) but I want to tell you that most if not all cooked cranberry sauces can be made ahead and either refrigerated or frozen, in fact, they improve in flavor if allowed to cure a day or two ahead. I have already made mine (I always make it a week or two in advance). It is a sweet and spicy chutney and the recipe directions tell you to let it cure for a day or two, after which it is delicious (when just cooked, not so much). Whichever you decide to make, they are very amenable to freezing or refrigerating and last quite a long time under refrigeration (we usually polish ours off a couple of weeks after Thanksgiving).
I found it online, in the original she calls for 1 cup sugar. I use less cayenne:
http://spicelines.com/2006/11/21/recipe-spicy-cranberry-tangerine-chutney-with-ginger-and-cardamom-not-your-grandmothers-cranberry-sauce/ , also in the original recipe the walnuts are un-toasted, but I'm sure either way is good. I refrigerate after cooling rather than letting it sit out overnight.
And Suzanne, hope this helps!
Happy Thanksgiving all!