# Cranberry sauce, canned or homemade. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 17, 2012, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295 "2012-11-17T10:50:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/41 "2012-11-18T02:13:57Z")
Well, I don’t like cranberry sauce, so it’s “neither” for me personally. However, growing up we often had both the canned jelly stuff and either homemade or store bought chunky cranberry sauce on hand. I cannot vote. ---
**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 18, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/42 "2012-11-18T03:15:38Z")
Fortunately, my husband and daughter and I all vastly prefer the canned jellied stuff, so I don’t have to worry about buying one kind and making another. My mother was very proud of her homemade cranberry relish, pointing out how much healthier it was, and how she took the time to provide us with this better option. And then she’d get offended when nobody ate any of it but her. My sibs and I all preferred the canned stuff, just like Grandma (mother’s mother) used to serve. So did my dad. I just don’t like the taste of the homemade relish, and I’ve sampled several different recipes of it. If my family liked the homemade stuff, then I’d certainly make it. As it is, though, I’ll be opening up a can of jelly and sliding it onto a serving platter, where I will cut it in half (the long way) so that it will hold still well enough to slice into half rounds. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/43 "2012-11-18T03:34:40Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > the mocking of the gravy There’s a Thanksgiving version of Festivus, then? Your ideas intrigue me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/44 "2012-11-18T05:13:10Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > It is yelled in that shape with pectin. [R. Lee Ermey]YOU WILL ASSUME A CAN SHAPE BY 0700 MAGGOT OR I WILL RIP YOUR HEAD OFF AND SHIT DOWN YOU NECK![/R. Lee Ermey] I voted "gelatinous can shaped"b. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/45 "2012-11-18T06:06:48Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > I like homemade with the meal and a can of the jellied stuff to slice for turkey sandwiches. Best of both worlds 🙂 I was going to say–I do actually like the jelly with turkey sandwiches. I mean, the regular cranberry sauce works fine, too, but I’ll use the leftover jelly for sandwiches the next day or two, as well. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/46 "2012-11-19T00:12:06Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > It is yelled in that shape with pectin. That’s funny. I wondered where this yelling thing came from, but I figured people were strange. Thank you autocorrect. ---
**Author:** ![Phedre\_no\_Delaunay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/839c29/32.png) [@Phedre\_no\_Delaunay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phedre_no_Delaunay)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/47 "2012-11-19T01:23:01Z")
I wish there were an option for “both.” I always have a can of the sliceable stuff, it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it! I also always serve my famous cranberry/orange relish as well. We just like to have both at our house. ---
**Author:** ![qualityleashdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/9f8e36/32.png) [@qualityleashdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qualityleashdog)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/48 "2012-11-19T01:30:20Z")
What about the in-between kind? Not canned, but bought at the deli counter, whole berries visible, scooped out and weighed? I buy canned, but I imagine someone prefers the in-between kind. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/49 "2012-11-19T15:33:31Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > I like homemade with the meal and a can of the jellied stuff to slice for turkey sandwiches. Best of both worlds 🙂 Try a slice of the canned jellied stuff on a BLT sometime, sublime! ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/50 "2012-11-19T16:01:53Z")
Ocean Spray canned without the berries, cold out of the refrigerator, and uncut. Just a cranberry cylinder on a dish. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/51 "2012-11-19T16:11:58Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Homemade, it’s painfully easy. Canned, it’s painfully easi **er** ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/52 "2012-11-19T17:32:44Z")
[Susan Stamberg’s Mom’s New York Times cranberry relish](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4176014). When I am allowed to make it. Otherwise, can me, baby! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/53 "2012-11-19T18:01:31Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > And you can use booze to make it ( I use Gran Marnier), How much? ---
**Author:** ![kaiwik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaiwik/32/3978_2.png) [@kaiwik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaiwik)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/54 "2012-11-19T18:37:25Z")
I was put in charge of making the cranberry relish/sauce back when I was a freshman in high school, and now, some 38 years later my version is still requested. I hold nothing against the canned versions, but for the holiday tables my cranberries are expected. Yes, I fancy it up with some spice, orange pulp and zest and some liquer, it’s tasty stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/55 "2012-11-19T18:56:42Z")
Canned cranberry glop Jarred gravy Logcabin brown sugar-liquid Frozen greenbeans covered in canned onions. Pancakes poured from a bottle or waffles pulled from the freezer Exclusively microwave popcorn … a non-exhaustive list of things that individually carry little information, but when found collectively strongly suggest that a family’s ancestry was cursed with an inability to provide love and warmth. They may have adapted over the years, but the curse lives on. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/56 "2012-11-19T19:58:11Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > How much? I hate to say it, but it depends. My cranberry sauce is completely by eye, if I had to guess I’d say 1/4 cup at most for 2lbs of cranberries. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/57 "2012-11-19T20:03:42Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/58 "2012-11-19T20:09:35Z")
> [@Labtrash](#): > > Canned, it’s painfully easi **er** No. I’d rather tear open a bag of cranberries and a bag of sugar than have to use my can opener. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/59 "2012-11-19T20:14:10Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > No. I’d rather tear open a bag of cranberries and a bag of sugar than have to use my can opener. Good point, Sir or Madame! Well taken! ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295/60 "2012-11-20T00:47:50Z")
Every year, I make a roasted cranberry-satsuma relish. Mix cranberries and sugar and roast in an oven for 30 minutes until all the berries have burst. Then mix with freshly squeezed satsuma juice. Because there’s no added water, the cranberry flavor is intense. And because the juice is never cooked, it retains it’s fresh vibrancy. It’s much more intense than the usual cranberry sauce and just a dab is usually enough but it’s really, really good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cranberry-sauce-canned-or-homemade/641295.md?page=4)