It isn’t the holidays without some of Mom’s Cranberry Pineapple Sauce.
I made some for Thanksgiving and I imagine I’ll be making more for Christmas. In fact, it’s the only cranberry sauce recipe that I make anymore. I’ve tried a bunch of different recipes but I seem to always come back to this one. So I thought you might like to make it, too.
Fresh plump red cranberries say Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming. I usually buy several extra bags to throw in the freezer to use during the year. Funny thing is that we found about 12 packages when we cleaned out the freezer this fall. Rinse the fresh or frozen cranberries.
Seems like this time of year the days go by so fast and there is so much to do. This sauce cooks up quickly and stays for several days in the fridge.
Usually, I buy crushed pineapple for this recipe but I accidently grabbed some tidbits instead. “No problem,” said the food chopper as it quickly turned those tidbits into tiny little pieces. Like I always told my kids when they were little, “There’s always more than one way to solve a problem.” Since I only buy pineapple packed in it’s juice, I drain the juice and use it as part of the liquid called for in the recipe. Once the pineapple is drained, I add water to the measuring cup to make the two cups needed.
It even tastes better if you make it a day or two ahead.
Boil the juice, water, and sugar for 5 minutes. I use a large kettle and stay close by.
Add the cranberries and boil without stirring until all the skins are popped open (about 5 minutes). That popping is like music to my ears. In fact, when I no longer hear the popping sounds, it tells me it’s done.
I usually can’t help myself and stir it once or twice to check on the bottom layers. Besides that, I find stirring food at the stove to be comforting.
Once all the skins are popped, remove from the heat and add in the pineapple. Chill for several hours before serving. It can even be made a day ahead of serving.
Here’s the recipe. Let me know if you make it.
Mom’s Cranberry Pineapple Sauce
- 2 cups sugar (less if you like it more tart)
- 2 cups liquid (pineapple juice plus water)
- 4 heaping cups fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
- 1 large can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
Drain the pineapple into a two cup measuring cup. Add enough water to make a total of 2 cups of liquid. Combine the sugar, pineapple juice/water in a large kettle. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add the rinsed cranberries and boil without stirring until all the skins are popped, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the pineapple, stirring well. Chill in refrigerator several hours before serving.
I like it so well that I wouldn’t have to bother eating anything else for the meal.
What I Learned Today:
- My mouth is watering as I write this post so it must be time to make another batch.
- Cranberries sure have become expensive. It seems like just yesterday that I could buy a bag for 59 cents.
- I’ve always wanted to attend a cranberry festival somewhere. I remind myself of that fact each year at this time. One of these years, I’ll have to remind myself earlier in the year so I can do just that.
- My mom is a very good cook. Thanks mom!
Question: What is your favorite holiday food to make or it just wouldn’t seem like the holidays?
Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats 
This looks yummy. My mother in law is fanatical about making cranberry sauce from scratch. I’ll have to give this recipe a try for her this year.
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