Homemade cranberry sauce is so easy to make and tastes fabulous. This Red Wine Cranberry Pear Sauce has a wonderful blend of flavors that complement each other nicely.
Pears and cranberries pair well together with the sweetness of the pears balancing the tartness of the cranberries. The addition of red wine adds a layer to the flavor profile of the sauce and, let’s just say, amps it up a bit! However, even though red wine is a key ingredient in this sauce, more wine is not necessarily more in this case. One-third cup of wine is adequate as adding too much wine can quickly overtake the cranberry flavor and become too strong and overpowering.
Essentially, this sauce begins with boiling water and sugar together, much in the same way as making a simple syrup. Some red wine (any kind you would drink will do) is then added along with the cranberries, pear, citrus marmalade, and some pure maple syrup for an extra dash of sweetness. Stirring the sauce as it cooks helps it to thicken so it is not watery.
During the last half of the cooking process, a pinch of cardamom, a piece of cinnamon stick, and a star anise pod are added for a boost of flavor. The cinnamon stick and star anise are then discarded once the sauce comes off the stove as their function of infusing flavor into the sauce is complete. Continue to stir the sauce as it cools because this will really help it thicken.
This sauce keeps in the refrigerator for up to five days. It freezes very well so is great to have on hand in the freezer.
Cranberry Sauce complements any poultry dish.
With its stunning rich ruby-red color, this delectable sauce is a fine condiment to any holiday dinner.
Complete your next roast chicken or roast turkey dinner with this sauce as a condiment.
Make some extra and share this sauce as gifts with others. A jar of this tasty sauce makes a fine host/hostess gift, too.
[Printable recipe follows at end of post]
Red Wine Cranberry Pear Sauce
Ingredients:
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup red wine
2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 Bosc pear, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 tbsp citrus marmalade
2 tbsp maple syrup
Pinch cardamom
1½” chunk cinnamon stick
1 star anise
Method:
In medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring sugars and water to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add red wine, cranberries, chopped pear, marmalade, and maple syrup. Increase heat to medium-high to return mixture to boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir mixture frequently throughout the cooking process, for about 8 minutes. Then, add the cardamom, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Continue to cook mixture, uncovered, stirring frequently while cooking it for another 7-10 minutes, or until sauce thickens (it will thicken somewhat more as it is stirred during the cooling process).
Remove saucepan from heat and discard the chunk of cinnamon stick and the star anise. Stir sauce several times as it cools as this will help it to thicken.
Store sauce, tightly covered, in refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage. Serve sauce cold or at room temperature alongside roasted poultry.
Yield: Apx. 2 cups
For other cranberry sauce recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen, click on the links below:
Zesty Cranberry-Orange Sauce
Cranberry Rhubarb Sauce
Cranberry Blueberry Sauce
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Red Wine Cranberry Pear Sauce
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup red wine
- 2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 Bosc pear, peeled and cut into small pieces
- 2 tbsp citrus marmalade
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- Pinch cardamom
- 1½ ” chunk cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
Instructions
- In medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring sugars and water to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add red wine, cranberries, chopped pear, marmalade, and maple syrup. Increase heat to medium-high to return mixture to boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir mixture frequently throughout the cooking process, for about 8 minutes. Then, add the cardamom, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Continue to cook mixture, uncovered, stirring frequently while cooking it for another 7-10 minutes, or until sauce thickens (it will thicken somewhat more as it is stirred during the cooling process).
- Remove saucepan from heat and discard the chunk of cinnamon stick and the star anise. Stir sauce several times as it cools as this will help it to thicken.
- Store sauce, tightly covered, in refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage. Serve sauce cold or at room temperature alongside roasted poultry.
Recipe Notes
Yield: Apx. 2 cups
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