Once you make cranberry sauce from scratch, you’ll give up the gelatinous canned stuff forever. Especially if you make my Aunt Bobbie’s recipe! Cranberries, shallots and raisins are sweetened with both sugar and fruit jelly, then flavored with ginger and spiced with a bit of cayenne pepper. Super quick and easy to prepare – and can be made up to 2 weeks before Thanksgiving!
This Cranberry and Golden Raisin Relish recipe is from my Aunt Bobbie, who found it in one of her favorite cookbooks, Fancy Pantry by Helen Witty. It’s the best cranberry relish I have ever had! And, not only is it delicious, it’s super easy to prepare.
Fresh chopped tart cranberries, sweet golden raisins and mild shallots are stirred together with a heated mixture of currant jelly, sugar, salt, ginger and cayenne. The hot jelly mixture softens the cranberries a bit, while still retaining their crunchy freshness and bright color. A few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice is added at the end, which cuts the sweetness a bit and enhances the cranberry flavor. That’s it! Best of all, you can make this relish up to 2 weeks in advance, reducing Thanksgiving stress.
One Thanksgiving, while celebrating with our friends Jeanne and Dick Saunders, I made this relish — and now Jeanne’s daughters insist she make it every year. I bet it will become a tradition in your family, too!
Note that the relish needs to sit overnight (or longer) before serving.
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Cranberry and Golden Raisin Relish
Once you make cranberry sauce from scratch, you’ll give up the gelatinous canned stuff forever. Especially if you make my Aunt Bobbie’s recipe! Cranberries, shallots and raisins are sweetened with both sugar and fruit jelly, then flavored with ginger and spiced with a bit of cayenne pepper. Super quick and easy to prepare – and can be made up to 2 weeks before Thanksgiving!
- Yield: 2 1/2 to 3 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup golden raisins
- 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh or frozen and thawed cranberries
- 3 tablespoons chopped shallots or red onion
- 3/4 cup currant jelly (see Note)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- Generous pinch of cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- If raisins are not soft, soak in warm water to cover for 5 to 10 minutes or until tender and pliable. Drain and coarsely chop by hand or in a food processor; transfer to a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- Pick over berries, removing any shriveled or discolored ones and rinse under cold water; drain. Coarsely chop in a food processor.
- Add cranberries and chopped shallots (or red onion) to raisins, stirring to combine. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine together the jelly, sugar, salt, ginger and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar and salt dissolve and mixture is smooth and quite hot (it doesn’t have to boil).
- Pour hot mixture over berry mixture, stirring until blended. Stir in lemon juice and mix well. Scrape into a jar, cover and refrigerate at least overnight before serving.
Notes
Make ahead: Relish can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.
Note: currant jelly can be found at some major grocery stores and at specialty stores. In the Denver area, I always can find it at Marczyk Fine Foods. Can substitute apple, apricot or grape jelly.
Variation: Add around 1 teaspoon well-drained horseradish per cup of berry mixture. Taste and add more if desired. This zesty relish is especially good with leftover turkey and cold meats.
- Category: side dishes, relishes, easy entertaining, gluten free
