The MFing Cranberry Sauce, I Kid You Not

My God; it's full of stars....

Every year, I get asked to bring cranberry sauce to my sister-in-law's home for Thanksgiving.

Over a few years of making it, I developed what is probably more a technique than a recipe.  It generally includes a lot of cursing and swearing, since a.) I do not like cranberry sauce b.) I do not like the "Growing Up Walton"-style production pressure invoked by most major holidays and c.) I especially do not like peeling and chopping apples, which this recipe involves.  You Have Been Warned.  

It became known as the MFing Cranberry Sauce because, well, that is what it usually ends up getting called, at least once or twice, some years more than others.  This ingredient is quite optional and I assure you its omission will not affect the quality of the end product, though if you're like me, you might not have as much fun making it. 

OK, let's get started.   You will need:

4 poly bags of cranberries

2 12-oz. cans frozen apple juice concentrate

2 c. water

1 quart orange juice

5 cups cane sugar (or more, to taste)

1 15-oz box golden raisins

6 small or 5 large Macintosh or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped

2 large navel oranges 

Equipment:  Huge enamel pot, wooden spoon vegetable peeler, tiny cookie or canape cutter in star shape

You presumably have the first hard part out of the way in having the apples peeled, cored and chopped.  Let's get the next PIA out of the way by dealing with the oranges.  Remove the peel in the largest intact pieces you can take off, or halve the oranges and scoop them out. Remove membrane and chop orange pieces.  Use a tiny-tiny cookie cutter, as for canapes, and cut small star shapes out of orange peel (or you can do this freehand with a scissors if you're good at it).   Set aside. 

Put cranberries, water and orange juice in large (8-quart) enamel or stainless pot with lid.  Cover, set burner to low and bring to a simmer -- you will hear the cranberries popping, which is why you keep the lid on.  If you don't have sense enough to keep the lid on, you will next year. 

When most of the berries have popped and are starting to look mushy, add sugar and apple juice, stir in and dissolve. Add apples and oranges.    Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently.   The mixture should thicken up a bit (this is because the fruit pectin is doing its thing, the same as when you make jelly).  Add raisins and orange peel stars, cook another 10 minutes, until "stars" are translucent, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and pour into a large glass serving bowl.   Pick out a few of the stars and arrange on top.  This keeps pretty well for a few weeks in the fridge, so you can apply liberally to T-day leftovers.   You can also freeze a bunch and trot it out again at Christmas.