5 Ingredients or Fewer
Canal House's Cranberry-Port Gelée
Popular on Food52
88 Reviews
Taylor S.
November 23, 2023
AMAZING! I think I'm ruined for other cranberry dishes now. I followed the recipe to a T and it turned out beautifully. I can see experimenting with other wines/spices/herbs would be fun in the future... This was an excellent addition to my Thanksgiving spread this year! And it is especially delicious on leftover bread smothered with brie.
Debbie
November 24, 2022
This is the best cranberry gelee we have ever had!!! We did have to modify it for the ingredients we had on hand as we decided to make it last minute. We used a simple red blend wine. And we didn't have juniper berries so we used cardamom pods, pink peppercorns, a Cinnamon stick and a bay leaf! I know it's different than yours, but you were the inspiration! Thanks! It set SO WELL and is delicious!
Licia
November 26, 2021
Made this, once again (10 years in a row), and I am amazed, year after year, how people respond to this dish. Intense flavors, great texture, amazing taste... Spread it over cheese, in sandwiches, over mashed potatoes, on your charcuterie board... This recipe is so good that it deserves its place all year long and not just at Thanksgiving. Can also be made with frozen cranberries so pack them up in your freezer and make this a staple at your table.
Sara D.
November 26, 2021
I've always been kinda "meh" about homemade cranberry sauce. But this was a revelation. I never want to eat any other kind cranberry sauce ever again. I had no problems and got a nice firm set. I did cook it much longer than indicated until all cranberries are popped and collapsed. I was also VERY aggressive about straining the results, pushing as much pulp through as possible. Mine was about the consistency of applesauce when I poured into jars.
neighome
December 1, 2020
I've made this successfully numerous times. I cook 10 mins, blend with high speed blender, then pass it through a fine mesh sieve. This year, in an attempt to reduce the carb count at the table, I made it with Classic Lakanto sugar substitute (combination of erythritol and monkfruit.) It dissolved without difficulty and gelled up as usual. The tastes is slightly different, but still good.
jjr
November 25, 2020
Made this today and it turned out perfectly. Following tips from reviewers, I added one ounce more cranberries and cooked the sugar, port, peppers and juniper berries for 5 minutes longer. The sauce was thickening by the end of cooking. I used a food mill with finest screen and it could not have been easier. Used Trader Joe's Ruby Port. Thanks for all the tips.
arcane54
November 18, 2018
I think I solved the set issue. The first time I made this (last year) it was perfect! Beautiful color, smoky flavor, set up like it came right out of the can!... a real winner. This year, it did not set. I made a batch yesterday and this morning it was the consistency of cold honey... though still delicious. I rewarmed the sauce and added 1 tablespoon of gelatin that I had bloomed in about 1/4 water. Happy to report that it is on its way to being jellied! It might not be as firm as the canned stuff, but it is holding its shape.
arcane54
November 18, 2018
Also, anyone know why there would be such varying results? I wonder if more mature berries have less pectin? Mine are from the Oregon coast -Bandon and only have to travel 100 miles to our stores. They did seem pretty ripe to me where I’ve had a larger percentage of young, less ripe berries in the past.
enbe
November 17, 2018
Looking this recipe up for Thanksgiving because it's been my go-to for the past few years. Absolutely delicious.
arcane54
November 17, 2018
Mine too! This year I found a pretty antique gelatin mold to use (although putting it in a lightly oiled soup can has been my practice). Has anyone tried it with pomegranate juice or other deep, dark juice instead of the wine/port? I occasionally cook for friends who can’t have any alcohol (even the supposedly “cooked out” kind).
Kamilah
November 17, 2018
I've made this for Thanksgiving as long as the recipe has been in print - delicious. I've made it as written, but also with any red wine I have around the house and extra aromatics like a strip of orange peel, star anise, slice of ginger, etc. Thinking of lime and cardamom this time... Always comes out divine.
lynx60489
November 9, 2018
Any thoughts on making this with erythritol (fake sugar)? I think the taste would be fine, but do you think it would set as well?
cosmiccook
November 20, 2017
Just made this again; tasted it somewhat sweet so I added fresh juiced cranberries and some pulp to the mix--came out great! Started jelling almost before I finished putting it thru the food mill. I should have done a final fine sieve step to eliminate some of the tiny pulp residue but that would have reduced my overall amount. Since I use the cutest little cranberry William Sonoma Cranberry mold, needed what I had. For others, if you have extra cranberries, add a little extra to the pot to ensure it will gel! Added some Satsuma juice & peel, ginger slice, star anise and Grains of Paradise to what is already in the recipe.
Robo
November 15, 2017
Anyone notice any difference between using Tawny vs Ruby Port in this recipe, or does everyone just use the domestic stuff?
Rob
November 14, 2017
I have reviewed the comments and was wondering if there is a community agreement as to what to use for the alcohol? Are most people using the port?
pvanhagenlcsw
November 20, 2016
Lovely dish. I used a food mill instead of a strainer and it worked perfectly.
cheribarry
December 30, 2015
I made this for our Christmas turkey. It was delicious but mine didn't gel up either. I will certainly try it again but go the blender route to see if I can get it to gel.
neighome
December 11, 2015
I cooked mine for a full 10 minutes. I found it was gelling even before being removed from the heat. Borrowing the idea from Janet L Davies, I used a high power blender to liquify it, and then ran it through a sieve to remove the ground up spices. I chilled in an bowl with scalloped edges, and then unmolded it for serving. I thought is was terrific, and the star of my table. Will definitely be making this again.
neighome
November 17, 2016
Experimenting with adding some heat this year. We'll see how it turns out.
Rosie
November 23, 2015
Can anyone guess why mine didn't gel? It's been in the fridge for a day. Tastes delicious, though!
asthmagirl
November 23, 2015
I put mine in the fridge from the night before the past couple times I made it. Did you make sure to squeeze all the gel out until you cannot stand it anyone and then mix it up best you can? my friend once made it but added water when she cooked them which made that happen before.
Rosie
November 23, 2015
Thanks! I made a second batch, cooked it a bit longer and pressed more of the solids through the sieve. It is considerably thicker already and has only been in the fridge for a couple hours. It's super tasty--worth the mistake.
Claire D.
November 23, 2015
Is the alcohol all boiled out? I have a number of recovering alcoholics coming to my Thanksgiving this year and it's okay with them for me to serve number that *tastes* like it may be flavored with alcohol, but anything that has a percentage of alcohol still in it could set them off. Thanks!!
asthmagirl
November 23, 2015
I find that the port flavor is subtle. I end up cooking it for close to 20 minutes, so I think cooking it a bit longer than 10 minutes will make it burn off more. Additionally. you don't put much on your plate! I think it would be fine.
Catherine I.
November 22, 2015
Answering my own question--the answer is yes, you can unmold it. Mine came out very stiff. I put it through a food mill, as someone suggested. Very pretty.
Grace S.
November 22, 2015
I made one batch and added one star anise pod and several whole allspice berries. It is wonderful. Wish I had some slow-roasted boar to put in on. I'm going to try another batch without the anise and allspice, and add a bit of dried orange peel. It's like making grown-up candy!
Aderck
November 22, 2015
Just made this and in the fridge for Thanksgiving. But I did lick the bowl and it is the best cranberry anything I've ever tasted. Can't wait till Thursday to eat it with the turkey.
Catherine I.
November 17, 2015
Is this stiff enough to be unmolded? And how many days in advance do you think it can be made?
cosmiccook
November 2, 2015
I think I'll add some ginger root and start anise pod as well--I do like a flavorful sauce.
Meaghan A.
November 30, 2014
LOVED!!!! This was the first year my family left the canned stuff untouched. I also added some crossed chipotle flakes, can't wait to finish the leftovers tonight!
Rhonda35
November 29, 2014
Absolutely delicious! Followed the recipe, except I stirred in bits of orange at the end. Been eating what's left with chicken liver pate - a great flavor combination.
Licia
November 26, 2014
This is my third year of making this. It is so amazing and yet the taste is so subtle that many people find it hard to pinpoint exactly what makes it so rich and intense. I absolutely love it and make extra so I can have a lot of leftovers (which doesn't really work because of the competition to take it home!). I end up making batches of it throughout the year and using it for sandwiches (spread instead of mayo/mustard), on Brie crostini, with Brussels sprouts, as jam on toast in the morning... Need I say more? Amazing...
oliveannie
November 25, 2014
Made a Cranberry-Juniper Shrub/Vinegar syrup with the fruit solids after I strained out the sauce this year. Yum! Not really a recipe, but made a double batch of the original Port-Gelee and had a little over a cup of solids left, maybe a cup and a 1/4. Put it back in the pan and added 1.25 cups cider vinegar. Seemed like there needed to be more liquid to get all of the good stuff out of the friut so threw in some water too, maybe a cup? Added a little more sugar, 1/4 to 1/2 a cup, heated and strained again. Then reduced it till I liked the thickness and acid/sugar level. Planning to use it with bubbly water as a soda and in some cocktails. Maybe in a salad dressing too? Overall got another 2 cups of cranberry deliciousness out of this recipe
tiffany C.
November 21, 2016
What a good idea! Can you provide your shrub recipe? The idea of reusing makes me feel a lot better than throwing out such good stuff!
asthmagirl
November 25, 2014
This is the best received dish I have ever made for Thanksgiving. My aunt came up to me and said that is the best she ever had... even better than our grandma's!
I highly recommend it exactly as is. I doubled the recipe to bring to make separate bowls of it.
I highly recommend it exactly as is. I doubled the recipe to bring to make separate bowls of it.
Janet L.
November 28, 2013
I just made this for our Thanksgiving dinner and it is amazing! I did not push it through a sieve, instead, I put it in my Vitamix until it was mostly smooth. It's really delicious, I love the woodsy flavor from the juniper berries. We got our juniper berries from Penzeys by the way.
Regine
November 18, 2013
Is it too early to make it now so about 10 days before Thanksgiving, of course keeping it refrigerated?
Kristen M.
November 18, 2013
I think you should be fine, if it's well-chilled and sealed. And that gives you plenty of time to sample too -- I'd recommend pouring some off into a separate vessel for that.
chefjim
February 24, 2013
Halve a ripe avocado and remove the seed, carefully scoop the 2 halves and place on plate putting a scoop of the cranberry gelle in the center where you removed the seed, crack sea salt and black peppercorns on top to taste. Adds a beautiful and delicious garnish to any plate.
darksideofthespoon
October 13, 2013
I like cleaning out a soup can and putting it in there to set. It's like a fancy reminder of my childhood.
Skinny B.
November 25, 2012
This is delicious. I can't believe how easy it is to make. I made it the day before thanksgiving to serve with my pork tenderloin roast. I did not have juniper berry in hand, so I took Kristen's suggestion by infusing with orange rind and a pinch of dried thyme since I don't have fresh ones. My guests loved this so much!! I think I may have to can some as gifts for Christmas :D
gretch374
November 23, 2012
Made this yesterday with merlot and rosemary. I don't know what it's supposed to taste like, but this was divine. Thank you for this recipe, it's brilliant. I'll be using the leftovers as the best jelly known to humankind.
Jennywren
November 21, 2012
Just made this exactly as written and it is fabulous. The port, peppercorn and juniper berries add such a nice woodsy like touch. As I was pushing it through the sieve I was thinking this would be a great side with game dishes like venison, wild boar or duckling as well as turkey Thank you so very much for sharing this recipe. It's a keeper!
halfsheetpan
November 21, 2012
Love this! Made a test batch two nights ago, and just made tomorrow's 'real' batch. The frugal part of is uncomfortable with discarding the solids, however. I put the leftovers in a food processor but the juniper berries and peppercorns are pretty strong as crushed solids. Maybe put them in cheesecloth to get the flavor so they can be easily extracted?
Kristen M.
November 23, 2012
Great idea for anyone who wants to keep a little more texture in the gelee. Thanks!
gretch374
November 21, 2012
I'm getting ready to make this right now. I can't find juniper berries in our little town, and am planning to use a couple sprigs of rosemary. Do you think that will work? Thank you! I can't wait to taste it!
Bevi
November 20, 2012
I used a mid-range port and doubled the recipe. Per HLA I reduced about 3 oz. I added the tiniest pinch of Five Spice powder to the juniper berries and peppercorns. It is in its mold and appears to be on the way to setting up beautifully. I placed Plastic wrap right up against the gelee. So far, so good!
Bevi
November 25, 2012
This was delicious, a huge hit, and the reduction was just the right amount for a double batch. This is a keeper!
Kelly D.
November 20, 2012
I'm a novice home canner - and I BELIEVE, but I'm not sure, everything in this is high acid enough to safety water-bath can this receipe - any expert home canners that can verify?
hardlikearmour
November 20, 2012
This is safe for water bath canning. Here's a link to the Virginia Tech Extension information about boiling water bath canning. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/348/348-594/348-594.html
Kelly D.
November 20, 2012
Thanks. I knew the cranberries were safe/high acid - I just wanted to make sure the addition of the port/alcohol didn't lower the acid level to an unsafe level, as I have no idea about the acid level of port wine.
artsycella
November 20, 2012
Just made this in prep for Thanksgiving. It tasted absolutely lovely out of the pan. Like others here, I didn't have juniper berries on hand and didn't relish a trip to Whole Foods or the like, so I just added in a few cloves instead. I was tempted to throw in some star anise, but chickened out at the last minute. Next time!
GregoryBPortland
November 19, 2012
Juniper berries are dried. You seen them in a lot of cooking from Alsace and Germany (think Chou Croute Garni). I found them at a shop that specializes in bulk spices. Forget trying to find them in a supermarket (maybe Whole Foods or other really upscale supermarkets). One final observation about this recipe. You have to have strong arms to push the puree through the mesh of a fine strainer. It's worth it.
hardlikearmour
November 19, 2012
I made this last night using Shiraz port and a Chinese 5 spice seasoning blend (cinnamon, star anise, fennel seed, black pepper, and cloves). It's a gorgeous color and tastes fabulous. Mine didn't gel up as much as I'd like - it's a thick sauce rather than a jelly. The silver lining is I can incorporate it into cocktails.
hardlikearmour
November 20, 2012
Made a second batch, and let the port/sugar mix reduce by 2-oz before adding the cranberries. Gelled beautifully & the spices had a bit more time to infuse.
darksideofthespoon
October 13, 2013
Glad I read this, I'm waiting for the port and sugar to boil, I'll happily take this advice! Canadian Thanksgiving today and I waited until the last minute to make this ;)
GregoryBPortland
November 19, 2012
I thought I had read the recipe correctly, but discovered that I put all the ingredients together in the pan and proceeded to cook it for 10 minutes. It turned out fine. I'm wondering why bring all ingredients to a boil except the cranberries, and then add the cranberries and cook 10 minutes. The pulp gelled into this gorgeous cranberry glee within a half hour. One other problem--I only had tawny port in the house. Made no difference. This is an ace side dish and one that I'll put on the table next to my cranberry relish for the jelly fans. I am a huge admirer of the Canal House books!
Mimi D.
November 19, 2012
Are Juniper Berries fresh, or do you find them in the spice aisle in a jar? I've never seen them except in the backyard!
Kristen M.
November 19, 2012
We use them from jars in the spice aisle -- lucky you, having them in the back yard!
clessy
November 18, 2012
What's a good substitute for juniper berries?
Kristen M.
November 18, 2012
While not direct substitutes, some strips of orange rind or sprigs of a wintry herb like thyme could add some flavor and aroma in place of the juniper berries.
AlexValich
November 19, 2012
I added some whole cloves instead and it seemed to work pretty well and gave it that late fall spice I wanted.
Thartge
November 18, 2012
What about an Alternative to alcohol? Unsweetened cranberry juice?
Kristen M.
November 18, 2012
You could try that, but you'll want to adjust to taste after straining -- it will probably need more sugar. A bit of balsamic vinegar might give it some of the tangy sweetness of port too.
AlexValich
November 15, 2012
This tastes wonderful and very easy to do. I made this last night with red wine, which made it thinner. I found if I took the post strained mixture and reduced it by a 1/3 in a pan on low heat (for about 10 minutes) it actually set up in the fridge just like the canned stuff we all grew up on. I actually have it setting up in an empty can right now to try and fool my culinary challenged parents into eating it next week.
Kelly D.
November 20, 2012
Re: having it have it set up in an empty can, check out: http://www.foodinjars.com/2011/11/home-canned-cranberry-sauce-made-in-a-tin-can-mold/
Alexandra H.
November 14, 2012
Looks delicious! Would you suggest a Ruby Port kr. Tawny Port for this? Thanks!
Kristen M.
November 14, 2012
I think I'd go with ruby, but as you can see Hirscheimer and Hamilton are pretty flexible in their recommendations -- any full-bodied red wine or Madeira will work too. Don't use anything crazy expensive though, because cranberry is still the dominant flavor here.
See what other Food52ers are saying.