This gorgeous pear-honey cranberry sauce shouldn’t be sequestered to just one holiday! Why should Thanksgiving have all the fun? I like to celebrate this perfectly sweet and tart concoction all winter. It’s perfectly happy snuggled up next to roast chicken, pork, turkey, or even Swedish meatballs. We slather it all over buttery toast and biscuits throughout the winter season!
“Oh damn! We forgot the cranberry sauce again!” CAROLE LOMBARDI (Yep – That’s me) –
Forgetting cranberry sauce is as traditional in my family as having Thanksgiving dinner. I can’t tell you how many times the cranberry sauce has inadvertently been left in the fridge. Someone eventually asks for it and saves the day. Cranberry sauce may seem insignificant however, it’s the wonderfully tart element that provides the missing link to tie the whole Thanksgiving dinner together.
Cranberry sauce is one of those dishes that you either love or hate. As a kid, I remember my mom and grandma served the canned jellied version. It was neatly sliced, plated, and garnished with a sprig of parsley. If you grew up in the 50s, 60s, or 70s, this was pretty standard. I kind of liked it but wasn’t too excited about it touching the other food on my plate (it was a kid thing).
Making pear-honey cranberry sauce:
In my early 20’s, I started making fresh cranberry sauce. I couldn’t believe how much better it tasted. It was like a revelation! It was so easy to make, I couldn’t believe that no one in my family had ever attempted to make it before. I followed the recipe on the back of the cranberry bag – which was easy enough. Next, I started adding flavor components – building flavors that I thought would be interesting and complementary to the cranberries. I also wanted to reduce the sugar so I cut it by half then added honey and pears which are a perfect match and lend texture, complexity, and sweetness to the sauce. A small cinnamon stick gives the sauce a warm, winter vibe while a hint of tangerine zest brightens the sauce and brings it all together.
Health benefits cranberries:
Another good reason to incorporate cranberries into your diet is that they’re an amazing superfood!. These tart little nuggets of love are brimming with health benefits! They’re rich in vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting antioxidants like vitamin C, E, K1, manganese, and copper.
Print
Pear-Honey Cranberry Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
- Category: Holiday
- Method: Stove Top
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This flavorful pear-honey cranberry sauce has just the right amount of sweet and tart to expertly accent many styles of dishes. For breakfast, serve with toast, biscuits, or scones. For dinner, serve with turkey, chicken, pork, or Swedish meatballs.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup tangerine (or orange) juice
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large pear, peeled and diced small
- 12 ounces fresh whole cranberries, rinsed and sorted
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1/2 teaspoon tangerine (or orange) zest
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add water, tangerine juice, honey, sugar, and pears. Simmer for 4 minutes or until pears are tender.
- Gently stir in cranberries and the cinnamon stick. Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until thickened.
- Remove from heat. Stir in tangerine zest and let cool.
- Remove cinnamon stick and serve or store in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
- Pro Tip: Always zest citrus prior to juicing.
- For a more citrusy flavor, use 1 cup of juice.
Keywords: pear-honey cranberry sauce
