This Gordon Ramsay Cranberry Sauce Recipe is a rich and spiced recipe, which is made with tart apples and ruby port. It’s the perfect holiday side dish, ready in about 20 minutes.
Jump to RecipeGordon Ramsay Cranberry Sauce Recipe Ingredients
- 150g caster sugar
- 2 star anise
- 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
- 250g fresh cranberries
- 2 tart apples, peeled and chopped
- Sea salt + black pepper
- 60ml ruby port
- 1 orange, zested and juiced
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- Make the Spiced Caramel: In a wide, heavy-bottomed pan, add the caster sugar, star anise, and crushed cardamom pods. Place over medium heat and let the sugar melt and turn an amber color without stirring.
- Add the Fruit: Add the fresh cranberries to the hot caramel, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to coat the berries completely. Add the chopped apples and continue to cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring as the cranberries begin to pop.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Carefully pour in the ruby port to deglaze the pan, followed by the orange zest and juice. Stir everything together.
- Finish and Cool: Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency. Remove the star anise and cardamom pods before serving. The sauce can be served warm or allowed to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- Can I make this sauce ahead of time? Absolutely. In fact, the sauce tastes even better if made a day ahead. This allows the flavors to fully meld and settle. Simply cool, refrigerate, and gently re-warm before serving if desired.
- How do I control the flavor of the sauce? The caramel stage is your main point of control. A lighter, pale amber caramel will result in a brighter, fruitier sauce. A darker amber caramel will provide a deeper, richer, more complex flavor base.
- What is the best pan to use for making cranberry sauce? A wide, heavy-bottomed pan is ideal. The wide surface area helps the sauce reduce and thicken more quickly, giving you better control over the final consistency.
- Why did my sugar crystallize instead of melting? This usually happens if you stir the sugar before it has fully melted. The key to a smooth caramel is to let the heat do the work. Simply let it melt undisturbed over medium heat.
What To Serve With Cranberry Sauce
This spiced cranberry sauce is the perfect accompaniment to cut through the richness of holiday dishes:
- Roast Turkey or Chicken
- Glazed Holiday Ham
- Roasted Pork Loin or Duck
- Served on a cheese board with brie or camembert
- As a spread on leftover sandwiches
How To Store Cranberry Sauce
- Refrigerate: Cool the sauce completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Freeze: Pour the cooled sauce into a freezer-safe container or bag. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Cranberry Sauce Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 159 kcal
- Protein: 1g
- Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Sodium: 50mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Can I use frozen cranberries for this recipe?
Yes, frozen cranberries work perfectly well. There’s no need to thaw them first; you can add them directly to the caramel, though you may need to cook them for a minute or two longer.
Is there a non-alcoholic substitute for ruby port?
Yes. If you prefer to omit the port, you can substitute it with an equal amount of pomegranate juice, black grape juice, or even just extra orange juice for a brighter flavor.
How do I easily remove the whole spices before serving?
The star anise pods are large enough to pick out with a spoon. For the smaller cardamom pods, you can tie them in a small piece of cheesecloth or a tea infuser before adding them to the sugar. This makes removal quick and easy.
Gordon Ramsay Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Course: Side DishCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy6
servings5
minutes15
minutes159
kcalA rich, deeply flavorful cranberry sauce with spiced caramel, tart apples, and a hint of orange and port.
Ingredients
150g caster sugar
2 star anise
4 green cardamom pods, crushed
250g fresh cranberries
2 tart apples, peeled and chopped
Sea salt & black pepper
60ml ruby port
1 orange, zested and juiced
Directions
- Melt sugar with star anise and cardamom in a wide pan over medium heat until it forms an amber caramel.
- Stir in cranberries, salt, pepper, and apples; cook for 3-4 minutes until cranberries start to pop.
- Deglaze the pan with port, then add the orange zest and juice.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- Remove the whole spices before serving warm or chilled.
Notes
- This sauce develops more flavor if made a day in advance and refrigerated.
- The color of your caramel determines the final flavor: light amber for a brighter sauce, dark amber for a richer one.
- Use a wide pan to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken more efficiently.
- To avoid crystallization, do not stir the sugar until it has completely melted into a liquid.
