Easy Cranberry Grapefruit Sauce

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I posted this recipe for the last couple of years before Thanksgiving. It's so so so good.  Even if you don't "think" you like cranberry sauce, you'll like this. I promise.

If you haven't added it to your cooking plans, trust me, you should.

Absolutely my favorite!!!

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Cranberry sauce frightened me as a child.

I thought the red, congealed goop, molded in the shape of a can resembled blood from a dinosaur.  Eewww.

Fortunately, I eventually gave cranberries another try (perhaps because I love craisins) and the pendulum has swung to the other side; I LOVE cranberry sauce.  Better still,  I found a recipe in an old Williams-Sonoma catalog that's easy and slightly unique.  Here's what you need:

  • 1 bag fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup fresh grapefruit juice
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1 Tablespoon (ish) grated grapefruit zest - I just zest the entire grapefruit before juicing it.  No need to measure!
  • 1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger (optional)
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Cranberry Grapefruit Sauce
Cranberry Grapefruit Sauce

Pour those beautiful cranberries in a medium saucepan and add the honey.  TIME-SAVING TRICK: heat your honey in the microwave for 10 seconds before pouring.  The heat makes it more runny!Add the grapefruit juice, zest and bring to a boil.  Stir regularly until the cranberries are all popped.  The picture below is about 4 minutes into cooking and you can see many of the berries have popped.  Let them boil a little longer...Until they look like this...Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.  While the sauce is cooling, if you're going to use the crystallized ginger, chop it to bits.Stir in the ginger when the sauce has cooled. This part is entirely optional.  Clearly this recipe was developed to sell the uncommon ginger - and it IS tasty - but you won't be disappointed in the sauce even if you haven't sprung for this fancy additive.  Chill before serving.This sauce keeps for a week, so you can make it well before Thanksgiving and/or keep it for a sandwich spread for leftovers after Thursday.  Enjoy!

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble.