Jellied Cranberry Sauce with Grand Marnier

By jodieg

Ingredients

• 2 12-ounce bags fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed if frozen, about 7 cups
• 2 3/4 cups water or juice (I used pomegranate-cranberry juice)
• 3 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (optional)

Details

Servings 7
Adapted from loveandoliveoil.com

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare canner and wash/sterilize 7 or 8 half-pint mason jars. Keep jars in hot (not boiling) water until ready to use.

Rinse cranberries and discard any unripe or bruised berries. Place berries and juice in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until skins burst and berries soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

Working in batches, transfer cranberry mixture to a food mill, blender, or a food processor and puree until smooth. If using a food mill, discard solids.

Return puree to saucepan. Add sugar and bring to a boil over medium-heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil hard for 10 to 15 minutes, or until mixture begins to thicken. You can test the gel of the sauce by placing a spoonfull on a chilled plate. Return to the freezer for 1 to 2 minutes, then check for doneness. If you want a firmer gel, cook for a few minutes longer. For a looser sauce, do not cook it quite as long. When sauce has reached the desired consistency, remove from heat and skim off foam. Stir in Grand Marnier (if using).

Ladle hot sauce into jars, leaving 1/4-inch of headspace. Wipe jar rims and threads. Screw on lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from water and let cool completely, 12 to 24 hours. Check seals. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within 3 weeks. This sauce can also be made and enjoyed fresh, without canning. Simply transfer to serving dish, cover, and chill until ready to use.