“It’s not from a can” – Grandparents everywhere.
Same color as the canned stuff, but way better (I promise).
Once upon a time I actually enjoyed the processed cranberry sauce from a can. Perhaps because it was all that I knew of at the time, and was a staple at family holiday meals. You know, feels like home and stuff. I grew up with Grandparents that stressed the importance of using fresh ingredients, and they always reminded you that their culinary creations were not from a can, just in the event you may have suspected such malarky! Yet at the dinner table for Thanksgiving (turkey day for some) there was always that can-shaped hunk of cranberry sauce. I’ve since grown up, gone to school for nutrition, forgotten about stuff learned in school for nutrition, and have decided to teach people clean eating through the use of slow cookers. Phew. So here we are, making paleo cranberry sauce that is way better than that can-shaped, thing. It is tart, yet it also has some sweet. This is the stuff that you should spread on top of that dry turkey someone else made to lubricate it down your hatch, or to put on that turkey sandwich that you won’t be eating the day after. Trust me, I know you go off the paleo wagon, and I won’t be calling the Paleo Police. It’s fine, you’re normal.
I also want you to keep in mind that a sweet fruit-based sauce should be considered a condiment, and not something that you eat at will. For that reason this recipe is based off of a single 14 ounce bag of cranberries. It will yield you about 3 cups of cranberry sauce when it cooks down. This should be enough to satisfy a family of four, yet if you have more people to cook for, just simply double all of the ingredients and add an hour to the cooking time.
What you need:
- One 14 ounce bag of cranberries.
- One medium Bartlett pear, cored and diced smaller than the cranberries.
- Juice and zest of one medium orange.
- One tablespoon of freshly grated ginger.
- 1/4 cup raw honey.
- 1/4 cup coconut sap crystals.
How you make it:
- Wash your cranberries. Strain excess water off before dumping into your slow cooker.
- Add your pear, orange juice, orange zest, and ginger. Stir.
- Add your honey and coconut crystals and try your best to stir evenly. If clumps form, set them towards the top.
- Leave your lid slightly cracked to allow excess moisture to cook off, which will provide a thicker sauce.
- Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours. If doubling the recipe, cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
I think you got your high/low setting mixed up w/hrs cooking needed. Still looks wonderful 🙂
Thanks. I need a proofreader. You’re hired.
um, it looks wonderful, but I think you’ve reversed your cook times re low and high!
I will be making this although I haven’t any coconut sap crystals…any recommendations for a substitution?
thanks!
Thanks for catching that too, fixed it up. I’d be hesitant to double the honey in the recipe, but you can always add another small pear or a green apple, and just a touch more honey. Even a bit more orange juice in place of them would work. This sauce is supposed to be tart and zesty, so the sweet component is nice but not entirely necessary. Let me know what you try and how it works out for you!
it was delicious! I upped the honey a bit and added some agave too. I think it was even better for the fact that I made it on the weekend so it had time to mellow. Reading later comments, I wish I’d thought of adding a few dates, chopped up, instead.
Wow, this looks incredible! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Alison, let me know how it turns out for you!
Any thoughts on using date sugar to replace the coconut sap crystals?
I would use slightly less than equal parts. I don’t think the sugar ingredients are completely necessary in this recipe. Cranberry sauce should be tart, yet most folks are accustomed to be it being sweet. That’s why this is one of the few recipes I added some honey and coconut crystals to. The use of an extra apple or pear could also work as a substitute. Let me know if you have any more questions!
LOVE this! I added an apple to replace the coconut sap crystals and it finished with just the right amount of tartness. Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks for the kind feedback. I love the tartness of a real cranberry sauce.