Cranberry-Orange Conserve
intro
Bright, tart-sweet cranberry-orange conserve, studded with toasted walnuts and warm spice, is a make-ahead New England holiday staple perfect for spreading, dolloping, or gifting.
Ingredients
Steps
Toast Walnut Pieces
Place the 20cm brushed stainless steel skillet over medium-low heat (3/10 heat setting). Add the 1/2 cup raw walnut pieces in a single even layer. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently with the beech wood spoon, until nuts release a warm nutty aroma and turn pale golden at the cut edges. Watch closely to avoid burning, as walnuts turn from toasted to charred in under 30 seconds. Transfer toasted walnuts to the walnut cutting board to cool for 5 minutes (use this time to prep oranges), then chop into rough 5mm pieces with the paring knife. Set aside.
Prep Orange Zest & Juice
Place the whole navel oranges on the walnut cutting board. Use the stainless steel microplane zester to remove only the bright orange outer zest, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath, until you have 1 tablespoon of fine zest. Cut the zested oranges in half with the paring knife, and squeeze by hand to extract 1/2 cup of fresh juice into the glass measuring cup, discarding any seeds. Set zest and juice aside.
Combine Conserve Base
Place the 3-quart stainless steel saucepan on the back of the counter over medium heat. Add the fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, reserved orange zest, reserved orange juice, golden raisins, whole cinnamon stick, and 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt. Stir gently with the beech wood spoon to evenly coat the cranberries in sugar and juice.
Simmer Until Thickened
Bring the mixture to a gentle rolling boil, then reduce heat to medium-low (2/10 setting) to maintain a soft simmer. Cook for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally with the wooden spoon, until nearly all cranberries have popped, the liquid has reduced by about one third, and the mixture coats the back of the spoon thickly. You will hear faint popping sounds from the cranberries as they cook; do not boil rapidly, as this will make the conserve tough.
Fold in Toasted Walnuts
Remove the saucepan from heat. Discard the whole cinnamon stick. Add the reserved chopped toasted walnuts to the hot conserve, stirring gently with the wooden spoon to evenly distribute the nuts throughout the mixture. Let the conserve rest in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
Transfer to Jar to Cool
Place the stainless steel canning funnel in the mouth of the clear glass half-pint canning jar, set on the matte cream serving plate. Carefully pour the warm conserve into the jar, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top. Wipe any drips from the jar rim with the corner of the linen towel, then let the conserve cool completely to room temperature (about 1 hour) before sealing or serving. The conserve will set to a spreadable consistency as it cools.
Tips
2.Resist the urge to overcook: the conserve will look slightly thin when you remove it from heat, but it will thicken dramatically as it cools thanks to natural pectin in the cranberries. Overcooking will result in a stiff, jelly-like texture instead of a soft, spreadable consistency.
3.Customize add-ins to taste: you can swap walnuts for toasted pecans, add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped crystallized ginger for extra warmth, or stir in 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier after removing the pan from heat for a boozy, citrusy twist. Sealed, cooled conserve keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, making it perfect for make-ahead holiday prep or gifting.
OMG this cranberry-orange conserve is a total game changer for our Thanksgiving table! I’ve been making the canned jellied cranberry sauce for years because I thought homemade was too fussy, but 20 minutes? Are you kidding? My kids gobbled half of it straight from the pot before I even got it in the jar to chill. 10/10 will make every year from now on.
Made this for my neighborhood potluck last weekend and everyone was begging for the recipe! It was so easy to throw together while my ribs were smoking, I didn’t even have to babysit the pot. Pairs so good with sharp cheddar on a cracker too, not just turkey!
Super easy for a beginner like me! I was nervous to make something for my first Friendsgiving and this only took 20 minutes, no fancy skills needed. Only thing is I accidentally used a little extra orange zest, is that supposed to make it a tiny bit bitter? Still tasted great though, no one complained.
Meal prepped a batch of this to put on my morning toast all week and I’m obsessed. Way less added sugar than store bought jam, and the cranberry + orange combo is so bright it makes 6am feel bearable. Already bought extra cranberries to make another batch before they go out of season!
Wait, can I make this a few days ahead of time? I’m hosting 12 people for Thanksgiving and trying to get as much prep done early as possible so I’m not stressed the day of. Don’t want it to get mushy or lose that bright flavor!
Took a jar of this on our fall camping trip last weekend and we put it on everything – pancakes, sausage, even stirred a spoonful into our hot cider. So portable, no weird ingredients, held up great in the cooler. 10/10 for outdoor meals too!
This was way easier than I thought it would be! I’ve never cooked with fresh cranberries before and I was worried they’d be too tart, but the orange balances it out perfectly. Gave a jar to my neighbor and she texted me this morning asking for the recipe too.
Yay, this is naturally gluten free! I’ve been looking for a Thanksgiving side I can eat without having to make a separate dish just for me, and this fits the bill. No weird thickeners or anything, just simple fruit and sugar. Perfect.
Full transparency, I hate cranberry sauce. Like, the canned jellied slime makes me gag every year. But my partner made this last night and I ate three spoonfuls straight out of the container. What is this magic? It’s not all gelatinous and weird, it has actual texture, the orange cuts the tartness so nicely. I might even volunteer to bring it to my family’s dinner this year.
Love that I could use up the leftover cranberries and random oranges I had in my fruit drawer from last week’s grocery run! No food waste, 20 minutes, and a delicious spread that’s way better than letting produce go bad. Already brainstorming what other fruit combos I can try this method with.
We had this at our weekly family dinner last night and my 82 year old grandma said it tasted exactly like the conserve her mom used to make when she was a kid. That’s the highest possible praise I can give a recipe. She kept asking for seconds, which never happens!
Wait, can I freeze this? I found a crazy sale on fresh cranberries at the grocery store and want to stock up and make a bunch to have through the winter, but don’t want it to go bad in the fridge before we can eat it all.
Served this at my fall brunch last weekend alongside scones and clotted cream and it was a total hit! I thought it would only go with savory holiday food but it pairs so perfectly with buttery baked goods too. My friends kept going back for more scones just to get another dollop of this.
First holiday cooking win as a married guy! My wife said this was better than the fancy conserve we had at our wedding dinner, and that’s saying something. Super straightforward, no fancy equipment needed, just a pot and a spoon. I feel like a real chef now, ngl.