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How do you thicken watery cranberry sauce?


Cranberry sauce is a staple condiment served alongside turkey, stuffing, and other traditional dishes on Thanksgiving and Christmas. While homemade cranberry sauce made from fresh or frozen cranberries often has a nicely thickened, jam-like consistency, canned cranberry sauce can sometimes turn out disappointingly thin and watery. If your canned cranberry sauce lacks the desired texture, there are several methods you can use to thicken it up.

Why Does Canned Cranberry Sauce Sometimes Turn Out Watery?

There are a few reasons why canned cranberry sauce may end up thinner than expected:

  • Natural batch-to-batch variations: The overall quality and consistency of the cranberries, as well as slight differences in manufacturing, can affect the thickness of the final product.
  • Improper jelling: If the cranberry sauce doesn’t contain enough natural pectin from the cranberries or enough added sugar, it may not set up properly.
  • Separation during canning: The cranberry mixture can separate a bit during the high-heat canning process, resulting in water leaching out.
  • Too much liquid: Some recipes call for adding extra water, juice, or other liquid, which dilutes the natural gelling agents.

While you can’t do anything about batch variations, there are methods you can use at home to compensate for improperly jelled or watery sauce.

How to Thicken Watery Cranberry Sauce

If your canned cranberry sauce is too loose or thin, you have a few options for thickening it up to the desired consistency. Here are some simple methods:

Simmer on the Stove

One of the easiest ways to thicken runny cranberry sauce is to simmer it for a short time on the stove. This gentle cooking evaporates off some of the excess liquid, allowing the sauce to reduce down.

  1. Transfer the entire contents of the cranberry sauce can to a small saucepan.
  2. Set stove burner to medium heat and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
  3. Allow sauce to cook while stirring periodically for 5-10 minutes, until reduced down and thickened.
  4. Remove from heat and transfer thickened sauce to a serving bowl.

Keep a close eye on the sauce as it simmers so it doesn’t overcook. You may notice the sauce darkening slightly as some of the moisture evaporates.

Mix in Cornstarch

For a quick fix without heat, you can add cornstarch to thicken up runny cranberry sauce. The cornstarch absorbs moisture and creates a thicker consistency.

  1. In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water until smooth.
  2. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the entire can of cranberry sauce until well combined.
  3. Let sauce sit for 5 minutes to allow cornstarch to fully thicken.
  4. If needed, you can add more cornstarch slurry 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

The nice thing about using cornstarch is that it thickens the sauce without altering the flavor.

Blend in Chilled Cranberries

Adding extra cranberries is a great way to create a thicker, fruitier sauce. The chilled berries help absorb excess moisture.

  1. Rinse 1 cup fresh cranberries under cool water and pat dry.
  2. Place cranberries in freezer for 10-15 minutes to chill thoroughly.
  3. Remove chilled cranberries from freezer and add to watery cranberry sauce.
  4. Use an immersion blender to puree the fresh berries into the sauce until smooth and thickened.

This works well with whole cranberries, but you can also use chilled cranberry relish or sauce. The cold temperature helps the sauce set up properly.

Mix in Gelatin

For cranberry sauce that needs a significant thickness boost, gelatin can help transform it into a spreadable jelly-like consistency.

  1. In a small bowl, sprinkle 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes to bloom.
  2. Heat cranberry sauce in microwave or small saucepan until warm, but not boiling.
  3. Add bloomed gelatin and stir constantly until fully dissolved, about 2 minutes.
  4. Transfer thickened sauce to serving dish and refrigerate 1-2 hours until set.

The gelatin gives a nice wobbly texture while keeping the sauce transparent. You can add more or less gelatin to reach your desired consistency.

Tips for Improving Canned Cranberry Sauce

Besides just thickening watery cranberry sauce, there are some additional tweaks you can make to enhance canned varieties:

  • Stir in orange zest – Adds bright citrus flavor
  • Splash in orange juice or liqueur – More depth and sweetness
  • Mix in nuts like walnuts or pecans – Extra crunch
  • Add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves – Warming flavors
  • Swirl in maple syrup or honey – Unique sweetness
  • Fold in fresh fruit like pomegranate seeds or chopped apple – Fruity bursts

Feel free to get creative and make that store-bought cranberry sauce your own with unique mix-ins!

Conclusion

While homemade cranberry sauce often has the ideal thick, spreadable texture, canned varieties can sometimes turn out unexpectedly thin and watery. Luckily, there are many simple ways to improve the consistency right at home. Simmering on the stove, adding cornstarch or gelatin, or folding in extra chilled cranberries can all help to thicken up runny canned cranberry sauce. With a few tweaks and mix-ins, you can easily transform any watery canned cranberry sauce into the perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas condiment.