Double Cranberry-Apple Sauce

I made this around 2011 for Thanksgiving. Patrick tasted it this morning and said, “WOW! This one is a keeper!” It came out more like a cranberry/applesauce with a hint of lemon.

The original recipe called for 6 apples — the first time I made it, I used 4 and filled a large saucepan to the brim. Over time I have reduced the number of apples to 2, as it makes a LOT.

I also changed how I process the lemon, removing the pith as I find it makes the result bitter. See the Note.


Double Cranberry-Apple Sauce

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled & diced
12 oz pkg fresh cranberries
1 large lemon, zested, pith removed, sliced & seeded
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Stir together apple, cranberries, zest, lemon, sugar, and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.

Reduce heat; simmer, stirring often, 15 minutes or until cranberries pop and mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in dried cranberries. Cool. Cover and chill until ready to use.
Mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Note: I use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest, then chop it. Using a sharp knife I cut off both ends, remove most of the pith, then slice the lemon in 4 seconds vertically, then slice it in 1/8″ slices.

Note: The number of apples can be doubled.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *