An Alternative to Cranberry Sauce or Relish: Cranberry Ketchup

An Alternative to Cranberry Sauce or Relish: Cranberry Ketchup: "

I adore cranberry sauce and cranberry relish – and not only at Thanksgiving – but sometimes want something more complex. More than just sweetness, this chutney-esque ketchup is cranberry sauce for grown-ups; rather than just sit there being sweet and jiggly, the onions, ginger and vinegar add far more depth of flavor. It’s an easy recipe – all you do is toss everything into a pot and cook until soft and thick – pureeing it until smooth (use a food processor or hand-held immersion blender) makes it resemble real ketchup, but if you’d like to leave it chunky and call it chutney, it’s still delicious.



Cranberry ketchup also makes a great gift; preserve it in jars or decorative glass bottles and tie with a bow; it freezes well, and keeps in the fridge for weeks, so you can make it ahead of the big feast.

Cranberry Ketchup

1 medium purple onion, chopped

grated zest and juice of 1 orange

1 c. apple or orange juice, or water

1 bag fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2 c. red wine vinegar

1 c. packed brown sugar

1 T. grated fresh ginger

2 cinnamon sticks, or 1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. salt

a good grinding of black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a largish pot set over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture boils, the onions become soft and the cranberries pop; about 20-25 minutes.

Let it cool a bit and then transfer to a food processor or run through a food mill until smooth. If it seems too thick, add a little extra water or juice.

Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal according to the package directions, or let it cool and transfer to plastic containers or squeeze bottles to store in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 4 months. Makes 2 1/2-3 cups.

Photo credit: istockphoto/LauriPatterson

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