This recipe for Cranbanero Sauce has been a staple at our family’s Thanksgiving meal for many years. It’s spicier than discussing politics at the table!
Put into a medium saucepan:
- One standard 12-ounce bag of cranberries
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar (granulated or brown, your choice)
So far, this is the same as the recipe on the bag. Next, however, halve lengthwise:
- Eight habanero (or scotch bonnet) peppers
Wear rubber or latex gloves while handling the habaneros. Leave them on when you wash your knife and cutting board. Trust me on this.
Remove stem, seeds, and veins. It’s important to halve the peppers, not chop them, so you can fish the halves out of the sauce later.
Put peppers into pot with rest of ingredients and simmer gently till sauce thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir a few times as it cooks to keep from sticking. Stop cooking before sauce reaches the thickness you want on the table, since it will thicken further as it cools.
Remove habanero halves. Make sure you get all 16 halves.
Cool. Press through a sieve if you like a smooth sauce, or leave the whole cranberries for more texture. (I leave them.) Serve, with appropriate warning.
You can experiment with adding orange juice for some or all of the water. Habaneros complement fruity flavors well.
This is a great spread for turkey sandwiches the day after Thanksgiving, too—and I’ve even made it for Hanukkah to put on latkes (potato pancakes) instead of the traditional applesauce. Just make sure to label it when you put it in the fridge so you don’t incinerate the unsuspecting. Enjoy!
