The secret behind the jiggly sauce
By Rebecca Firkser Updated February 13, 2018
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what is in canned cranberry sauce
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Bright bowls of cranberry sauce are so common on the American Thanksgiving table that 5,062,500 gallons of the stuff is consumed each holiday season. Some households make their own stovetop cranberry sauce, but for others, it’s just not Turkey Day without the plate of canned cranberry sauce, sliced into neat rings. Also known as jellied cranberry sauce, (a term coined by cranberry colossus Ocean Spray), this jiggly addition to the Thanksgiving meal has been available at grocery stores since 1941. Although the canned sauce was created in order to extend the shelf life of berries, it’s still most regularly eaten during fresh cranberry season, which runs from mid-September to mid-November. Considering that if you make cranberry sauce from scratch, the final product looks more like pie filling than Jello, there’s clearly more to canned cranberry sauce than fruit. What’s inside?
One of the most popular brands of canned cranberry sauce is, of course, Ocean Spray. Their jellied cranberry sauce is made with cranberries, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and water. Woodstock Farms also makes a jellied cranberry sauce, containing organic cranberries, organic sugar, filtered water, and organic lemon juice concentrate. Interestingly enough, neither brand uses gelatin to get their cranberry sauce to hold its shape outside of the can.
The secret to the wiggly nature of the sauce is actually completely natural. It’s pectin, a gelling agent that occurs in the fruit. Pectin is actually often extracted from fruit and sold as a standalone ingredient for use in jams and jellies to cut back on the need for a larger amount of fruit. It’s also a common addition to vegan and vegetarian cooking, as it can thicken sauces, soups, and puddings on its own.
As cranberries, sugar, and water boil, the cranberries pop and release all their pectin into the mixture. After the berries completely break down, they’re mashed to ensure all their liquid and pectin come out. Finally, the sauce is strained to ensure a smooth consistency. It’s poured into cans, which act as a mold; as the sauce cools, all that pectin helps it gel into a mostly solid tube. There’s so much pectin throughout a serving of cranberry sauce that it will hold the shape of the can even after it has slid out of the can and onto a plate.
Homemade cranberry sauce tends to look more like a sauce than a gelatinous tube simply because it often calls for more liquid than a recipe for jellied sauce. The pectin in the cranberries still acts as a thickening agent, but the final sauce will still be much looser.
FAQs
Their jellied cranberry sauce is made with cranberries, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and water.
What are the ingredients in canned cranberry sauce? ›
Their jellied cranberry sauce is made with cranberries, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and water.
Do you just eat cranberry sauce out of the can? ›
It's perfectly fine to serve up cranberry sauce — whole berry or jelled — straight out of the can. But in my experience, heating the canned sauce up takes its flavor to the next level. Plus, it becomes a little more aesthetically pleasing.
How healthy is canned cranberry sauce? ›
Did you know that cranberries boast healthy levels of vitamin C, fiber, manganese, and vitamin K, a package of nutrients rarely found in a single food!
Why is canned cranberry sauce better than homemade? ›
I love the texture, shape, ridges, and dependability of the cranberry sauce that comes from a can. Each year, no matter what happens or may go wrong, I know the cranberry sauce will taste exactly as it has for as long as I can remember.
What is jellied cranberry sauce made of? ›
It is amazing how a simple mixture of cranberries, sugar, and water can be easily transformed into delicious, lovely jellied cranberry sauce.
Does canned cranberry sauce lower blood sugar? ›
Nutritional Benefits of Cranberries
Research indicates (or studies have shown) Quercetin may be helpful in improving blood glucose (blood sugar) blood pressure and exercise performance. Anthocyanins give cranberries their dark red color and protect against cancer.
How to improve cranberry sauce from a can? ›
Adding a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon or orange zest, a tablespoon of chopped candied peel, or even a splash of juice to your canned sauce will brighten flavors and bring in some homemade flavor.
Why is canned cranberry sauce so good? ›
Its flavor profile includes sweet, tart tanginess and, for lack of a better word, cold, and that's enough. Plus, canned cranberry sauce isn't really about taste. It's about sensation.
Can you eat too much cranberry sauce? ›
Cranberries and cranberry products are usually safe for most people if consumed in moderation. However, excessive consumption may cause stomach upset and diarrhea — and may also increase the risk of kidney stones in predisposed individuals.
Cranberries are low in potassium and high in vitamin C, making them another great choice for people with kidney disease. Cranberry juice has also been shown to help prevent urinary tract infections, which are typical for people with kidney disease.
Can diabetics eat canned cranberry sauce? ›
The Bottom Line. If you have diabetes, you can still enjoy cranberry sauce, but with a few considerations. First, most traditional cranberry sauces have lots of added sugar, so offer to make it yourself for the holiday gathering so you can control how much is added.
Is cranberry sauce good for your liver? ›
Berries. Many dark berries — including blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries — contain antioxidants called polyphenols, which may help protect the liver from damage.
Should cranberry sauce be served hot or cold? ›
Is cranberry sauce supposed to be hot or cold? Either! Some prefer to have it served fresh and warm, straight out of the pot, while others need it completely cooled down to enjoy the flavours. Personally, we prefer cooled sauce.
Why is cranberry sauce so expensive? ›
But that's not the case for prepared cranberry sauces, where prices are up. Lochner pointed out that processors set those prices, not growers, and that there are higher input costs unrelated to berries — like “processing the fruit and getting it to market.”
Why is the label upside down on a can of cranberry sauce? ›
If the can were stored with the air bubble on the bottom for an extended time, the cranberry sauce would “crush it,” rendering it useless. By turning the can upside down, meaning that Ocean Spray attaches the label upside down, consumers will store the can with the air bubble at the top.
What is the difference between jellied cranberry sauce and whole cranberry sauce? ›
The major variation you're likely to come across is "whole berry" versus "jellied." The only difference between them is that the jellied sauce is cooked until the berries have completely broken down. They both slide out of the can as a wobbly red cylinder.
Does canned cranberry sauce have added sugar? ›
First, most traditional cranberry sauces have lots of added sugar, so offer to make it yourself for the holiday gathering so you can control how much is added.
What are the ingredients in ocean spray cranberry juice? ›
FILTERED WATER, CRANBERRY JUICE (WATER, CRANBERRY JUICE CONCENTRATE), SUGAR, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), VEGETABLE CONCENTRATE FOR COLOR.
What are the allergens in cranberry sauce? ›
Some are on the even more extreme side of caution by declaring their cranberry sauce 'May Contain' Celery, Eggs , Soya, [Milk], Mustard, Sesame, and Cereals containing Gluten.
