Junkfood Remade: Can O’ Cranberry Sauce

Yes, I love ocean spray too.  In fact, I have always preferred it and have even been known to buy a few extra cans to open when the company leaves.  I don’t think any of us can explain it.  Who would have ever thought that any food with ridges on it would be appealing? We just like it, right?  Our parents served it to us and it became a tradition and comfortable.

Small problem.  There is so much corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup jammed into one can now that I can’t even stand it anymore.  Last year, I attempted a homemade version that I put in a can to pop out like our favorite.  It tasted pretty close, but didn’t “jell”  the way I would have liked.

Enter: 2011 version which definitely has that “jell”.

These berries capture the holiday spirit all by themselves.

 

Combine cranberries, sugar, and 3 c. water until the berries start popping.  Usually this takes about 20 minutes, but it totally depends on your pan and its heat conduction.  After the majority of them are popped, you can strain it in a sieve.  I’m not cool yet and don’t own a $100 dollar sieve, but I just strain mine once through a colander and then again through my small sieve.  It works.  I do hope to join the sieve club soon, though, because it will save me some serious time.  You just need to strain it until you have 3 cups of liquid.   You might need to use a spatula to move the cranberries back and forth to get them to pass through.  While it is straining, combine the 3 Tbsp. water with the gelatin and let it sit for a few minutes.   After that, return the liquid to the pan and add the  gelatin/water combo.   Simmer until the gelatin is dissolved and remove from the heat.  Immediately, pour the cranberry sauce into the mold.  In my case it was a BPA-free can.  That way you don’t have to worry about a weird chemical transfer after all that work.  Yes, many cans are actually labeled BPA-free so you should have no problem finding one.

Here they are, ready to throw into the refrigerator for at least 12 hours but at least a day is best.

Can O’ Cranberry Sauce

(adapted from Epicurious)

4 bags (12 oz.) cranberries

2 1/2 cups sugar

3 c. water

3 envelopes of unflavored gelatin + 3 Tbsp. water

If you dare…

Yes, I really did that.  What can I say, I love Legos and I love my boys.

You could put this in any mold you want.  If I was Martha, I would put it in a cute little turkey mold, but I’m not.

So, I made Lego cranberry sauce.

Note:  If you wanted to can this, you would just process it for 5 minutes.  After you sterilize the jars, add the liquid to the sterilized jars at the same point you put them in the can.

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