Smoked Cranberry Sauce (5-Ingredients)

This fresh smoked cranberry sauce recipe pairs perfectly with with your favorite Smoked Turkey,Smoked Spatchcock Turkey, Ham, or Chicken. Hints of citrus and cinnamon combine with cranberries and a small amount of apples to create the best smoked cranberry sauce. Whether you choose to smoke your cranberries or skip the smoking and throw everything together in a sauce pan, this five ingredient cranberry sauce will not disappoint. Reduce it down to be a cooked cranberry relish or add extra juice for a thinner consistency, smoked cranberry sauce is versatile. 

I used to be a HARD NO on cranberry sauce every Thanksgiving Dinner, Christmas Dinner, Easter Dinner and other holiday that it reared it’s burgundy head. A congealed blob of cranberries from the can? Not for me… Luckily my sister showed up to a family thanksgiving with a few ingredients in hand including a bag of fresh cranberries, a navel orange, and a cinnamon stick. Life was forever changed. I have since adapted her recipe to include a finely diced apple, brown sugar, and to be made on the smoker. Throw it on at the same time as your smoked entree and save on the pellets! If you are looking for a great smoked entree to go with this sauce, check out this Smoked Turkey Recipe, Smoked Ham Recipe, Smoked Spatchcock Chicken, and Smoked Beer Can Chicken.

Why SMOKED Cranberry Sauce Is The Best

Key Ingredients

Cranberries- Fresh or frozen cranberries work for this recipe! The average bag of fresh cranberries is about 12 oz or 1 pound. Don’t stress if you have a little bit more or less. Taste the sauce as it reduces and add sugar + orange juice as needed.

Brown Sugar- The molasses in the brown sugar kicks this smoked cranberry sauce up a notch! Both light and dark brown sugar will work great… dark brown sugar has more molasses so it will give even more flavor!

Cinnamon- Cinnamon sticks are super potent and do the trick with this cranberry sauce recipe. Alternately, you can use 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Oranges- Choose fresh, firm, medium-large oranges for this recipe. Fresh orange juice is irreplaceable in this smoked cranberry sauce recipe. Reserve the zest for an extra punch of citrus.

Apples- Choose a fresh, firm, medium-large apple.

Equipment

Like most cranberry sauces, this recipe can be made without a smoker but the BEAUTY of this recipe lies in it’s smokey notes.

Pellet Grill or Other Smoker- I love my Traeger Ironwood 885, it preforms in our frigid Northern Canadian temperature and has even and consistent heat. Any smoker will work- be sure to offset your smoked cranberry sauce if using a charcoal smoker or other type of smoker where direct heat can be an issue.

Thick Bottomed Sauce Pan- Cast iron sauce pans deliver even and consistent heat and are perfect for your smoked cranberry sauce.

BBQ Grill Pan- Using a slotted grill pan with holes while smoking ensures that the smoke can swirl around your food. These pans are stainless steel and have awesome reviews. I got my Vermont Castings grill pan at Canadian Tire. In a pinch or an attempt to cut down on the dishes, a cast iron or heat safe pan will also work.

Tips + Tricks

Spice it up! Add your favorite spices to this cranberry sauce such as ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

Swap the sweets- Switch up the brown sugar and opt for maple syrup or granulated sugar instead.

Wood Change- Switch up your pellets or wood type and experiment with different smoke flavors. All fruit wood including cherry wood and apple wood work great with this recipe. Steer clear of stronger flavors that will overpower your cranberry sauce such as hickory.

100% Smoked- This recipe is unique in that it isn’t solely cooked on the smoker. If you prefer to cook it 100% on the smoker, transfer to a grill-safe pan, mix remaining ingredients, and continue to reduce down on the smoker.

For a “one pan” option– Swap out the grill pan for a cast iron pan and simply transfer to your stovetop when the smoking portion of the cranberry sauce is over.

Sweet Factor- If you prefer a more sweet sauce, consider adding another 1/2 cup of brown sugar to the recipe for a total of 1 cup of brown sugar.

Exactly How to Make Cranberry Sauce on Your Smoker

Step 1. Preheat your smoker to 375°F.

Step 2. Wash all fruits including the 12 oz bag of cranberries, 1 large apple and 2 large oranges. half the oranges and quarter the apple, removing the core. Arrange the orange slices and apples on the grill pan or another heat safe pan and add the cranberries, separating for easier juicing and chopping later on.

Step 3. Smoke for 30 minutes @375°F. Remove and juice the oranges when they are cool enough to handle. Zest leftover peels so that you have around 1 tablespoon of zest. Finely dice the apples (including peels), and transfer directly to a heavy bottomed pan (I like to use a cast iron pan) along with the cranberries, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick, and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Pour in the orange juice and add the zest.

Step 4. Bring the mixture to a full boil over medium heat and then lower to a high simmer until the cranberries have reduced, softened, and the sauce has taken on a more uniform look- this will take around 20 minutes. Add up to 1/2 cup extra orange juice if you are finding your sauce too thick. If the cranberry sauce is too thin, simply continue to cook, allowing a lot of the liquid to evaporate. Don’t forget to remove the cinnamon stick. The cranberries need to be cooked long enough that the skins are able to break down and combine with the other ingredients.

Step 5. Serve warm or cool and place in an air tight container or jar in the fridge for later use.

How to Make “Smoked” Cranberry Sauce Without a Smoker

Simply skip the smoker and combine all ingredients in your oven in a solid bottomed pan ! If you want that coveted smokey flavor, consider adding 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke to this orange cranberry sauce.

Batch + Storage

This recipe yields 3 cups of delicious smoked cranberry sauce.

Refrigerate: Smoked cranberry sauce is much like a jam or cranberry relish when it comes to preservation. It can be kept in the fridge for 10-14 days! Talk about a great make-ahead side for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Freeze: Smoked cranberry sauce freezes beautifully!! Save yourself some prep and make a double batch, some for now, some for later! Freeze cranberry sauce in an airtight container and store for 4-6 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Enjoy Smoked Cranberry Sauce

Printable Recipe Card + Video

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/d27QJT_qwQs

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