# Cranberry sauce: Canned or Homemade **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952 "2009-11-09T21:57:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/21 "2009-11-09T23:55:09Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > I want the canned. And I want the bottom slice with the ridges on it. > > Sliced is how it was always served in my family, but wouldn’t stirring it up in a bowl after you plop it out of the can be the proper way to serve it? Nonsense. I’m quite certain that those of us that like canned want it sliced up. Otherwise homemade would do. You can’t slice homemade. ---
**Author:** ![RoniaBorkason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9dc877/32.png) [@RoniaBorkason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoniaBorkason)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/22 "2009-11-10T00:27:48Z")
Well, I’m torn. There are two ways that are appropriate: sliced jelly from the can, if its just close family, or from scratch finely minced cranberries/sugar/orange juice concentrate/walnuts if the in-laws are there. We like to pretend we’re posh in front of strangers. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/23 "2009-11-10T00:36:03Z")
Fresh cranberry salad, made with several kinds of fruit and other goodness. Mmmmmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/24 "2009-11-10T00:41:37Z")
If you have a food mill, you can make homemade sauce that’s every bit as wiggly as the canned stuff. It’s way easier than other kinds of fruit jelly, since cranberries have so much pectin. Boil the berries with sugar (and whatever spices you want) until they pop and put the mixture through the food mill. Take the resulting liquid and bring it to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes, pour into a pan, and cool. Heck, you could even pour it into an empty can and get those ridges! 😃 Favorite grocery store typo, on a hand-lettered sign: Cramberries ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/25 "2009-11-10T00:46:06Z")
I never knew anything but canned while growing up, and continued that trend all during the 20 years of my first marriage. Then my present spouse introduced me to homemade: berries, sugar, orange zest, Grand Marnier, perhaps some pecan pieces, cinnamon or maybe some crystalized ginger; cook until the berries burst and it’s simply miles beyond the canned. It’s nearly a desert. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/26 "2009-11-10T00:58:30Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > Favorite grocery store typo, on a hand-lettered sign: Cramberries Stupid grocery store clerks. Everyone knows it’s ‘Canberries.’ ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/27 "2009-11-10T03:34:34Z")
It depends on who made it. If the basic sugar/water/cranberry recipe on the back of the bag is followed I’ll go for from scratch every time. If someone has decided to add jello or orange peel or nuts or any of that other crap that has absolutely no business going into my leftover turkey sandwich I’ll go for canned every time. [scrolls up] Yup, I’ve insulted people. 😃 Sorry, but sweet cranberry sauce is…just…don’t. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/28 "2009-11-10T03:52:00Z")
The jellied stuff flows out of the can in a way that a straight (and non-coprophiliac) guy such as me can only think of as entertaining but not arousing, even with the “schwoop” at the end, because I also tap the other end to speed the process and mitigate untoward noises. Homemade sauce can be good, but it lacks the mashed-up, overcooked goodness of the canned variety. However, it can be augmented with NPR’s Susan Stamberg’s mom’s [recipe](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=844268), which is not strictly kosher, allows you to introduce the wonderfulness of horseradish to the Western Europeans and the goyim while making something that even makes turkey white meat edible. Note: Haven’t made it in years because Wife has figured out how to cook a turkey so that even the white meat is moist. The other night she was ranting about how no Home Ec class these days teaches its students shit. I didn’t have the heart to suggest that the guy who was the first guy to go to court so that he could take Home Ec was a neighborhood bully who I trashed in the first grade, and it shows. ---
**Author:** ![pythonzzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@pythonzzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pythonzzz)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/29 "2009-11-10T04:02:09Z")
Gotta have Mom’s homemade no-cook cranberry sauce - she hand-grinds in a manual clamp-on-th-counter meatgrinder a mix of frozen cranberries, whole mandarin oranges, and pineapple together, then adds a sprinkling of sugar. It’s best made a day or two ahead so the flavors come together better. Even better when used on the leftover turkey sammiches, mmmm. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/30 "2009-11-10T04:08:48Z")
Where did sweet help describe sandwiches? The default is savory, unless you are trying to choke down an Oscar Mayer Bologna sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/31 "2009-11-10T04:20:51Z")
I’ve only ever seen it served once a year, on Christmas Day, so canned is more than adequate. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/32 "2009-11-10T04:24:29Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Then my present spouse introduced me to homemade: berries, sugar, orange zest, Grand Marnier, perhaps some pecan pieces, cinnamon or maybe some crystalized ginger; cook until the berries burst and it’s simply miles beyond the canned. It’s nearly a desert. I love your spouse. I hope that’s OK. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/33 "2009-11-10T04:26:35Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > Blasphemer! NO NUTS IN THE STUFFING! Oysters go in the stuffing. Nonsense. Oyster stays in the water until it’s time to take the pearl out. Then it gets thrown away. Honestly, it’s not like they’re made of _food_, fercryinoutloud. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/34 "2009-11-10T04:43:18Z")
I’ve had the canned stuff, and I’ve had my mother’s homemade cranberry relish. I prefer the canned stuff. My mother always uses artificial sweetener for everything, and she uses the stuff that leaves a bitter aftertaste, and then she doesn’t sweeten things nearly enough (probably because we’d all die of The Bitter if she used enough sweetener). She is Mortally Offended if someone adds sugar to something that she’s made, too, even if it’s just on one’s own portion of the item. On the other hand, the canned stuff is sweet enough for me, I enjoy the texture, I don’t get skins caught in my teeth, and it’s what Grandma (my mother’s mother) served at HER holiday meals. So, if I serve cranberry sauce at all in my meals, it’s canned. And it’s neatly sliced, because part of the tradition is having a round slice on my plate. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/35 "2009-11-10T12:51:05Z")
Cooking? Boiling? I just run some cranberries, an orange (whole, skin on) and some sugar through the meat grinder or the food processor. What is this cooking you are all talking about? Oh, and I make the NPR version too sometimes, with the horseradish (was is Susan Stamburg?) and freeze it…one batch lasts about five years. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/36 "2009-11-10T14:33:13Z")
Not in our house - I loves me some of that Pepto-pink, savory/sweet concoction! But I’m not voting, because I like the canned stuff, served so the can rings show, as well as more traditional homemade whole berry sauce, whether berries, sugar, and water, or with orange peel added. I will have to try the addition of walnuts this year as well. I just love cranberry sauce in general - I have no prejudices! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/37 "2009-11-10T14:47:55Z")
we serve both, some guests like homemade, and some are weirded out if it doesn’t come out of a can. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/38 "2009-11-10T14:55:16Z")
Never understood the cranberry-jelly-in-a-can that is off-the-shelf “cranberry sauce”. It tastes awful, and still has the ridges from the can. We make our own, and it’s great! We continue eating it after the holiday, and even put it over ice cream. I still won’t touch canned “cranberry sauce”. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/39 "2009-11-10T15:28:37Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Nonsense. Oyster stays in the water until it’s time to take the pearl out. Then it gets thrown away. > > Honestly, it’s not like they’re made of _food_, fercryinoutloud. They’re a member of the phlegm family. ---
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952/40 "2009-11-10T17:22:21Z")
But - the can ridges are there to show you where to slice the **can** berry sauce! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/516952.md?page=3)