Cranberry Sauce FAQ's | Ocean Spray® (2024)

FAQs

How do you fix too much liquid in cranberry sauce? ›

Try reducing the sauce down even further so more of the liquid cooks off and the mixture thickens. If that doesn't work, add a thickener like gelatin, pectin or a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch whisked into juice or water). Let the sauce cool before refrigerating to completely set.

As long as an unopened can of cranberry sauce is stored in a consistently cool pantry, it'll keep and taste good for at least a year beyond the date stamped on the can. (That date is the manufacturer's estimate of how long the cranberry sauce will remain at peak quality and is not a safety-related expiration date.)

According to Ocean Spray, that's intentional: It creates a seamless serving experience. The cans are “filled and labeled upside down with the rounded edge on top and the sharp can-like edge on the bottom to keep the jelly whole,” an Ocean Spray spokesperson told CNN Business.

Generally, Ocean Spray Cranberry juice will last between 7 to 10 days in the fridge once opened. It is important not to leave cranberry juice at room temperature for more than a few hours as bacteria can grow rapidly and lead to spoilage.

Mistake #2: Your Cranberry Sauce Is Too Runny

But what if you've been cooking it forever and it's still not right? You may have added too much liquid to the cranberries. In addition to pectin, cranberries contain water, which means you only need to add a splash of liquid to get the cooking going.

Sight is usually the best way to tell if your cranberry sauce has gone bad. For canned sauce, if the top of the can is rounded and dome shaped instead of flat across, the sauce has most likely gone bad. If you open the can and anything is brown or black, then do not eat the sauce.

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.

Unlike its homemade counterpart, canned cranberry sauce doesn't freeze or defrost very well. The jellied texture changes after freezing, becoming more watery. Even the leading authority on canned cranberry sauce, Ocean Spray, agrees that freezing canned cranberry sauce is not recommended.

Cult, meet classic with Ocean Spray® 100% Juice Cranberry Juice Blend. AKA the good-for-you renegade that tracks all the way back to the bog. Crisp. Clean.

For the perfect drink, dilute one part concentrate with four parts water. Add extra water for toddlers.

What is the difference between Ocean Spray cranberry juice and Ocean Spray cranberry juice co*cktail? ›

Cranberry juice is usually labeled "100% juice." Other fruits are sometimes added to balance the tart cranberry taste, but that label indicates that the product is made with 100% fruit juices. Cranberry juice co*cktail, meanwhile, has added sugars or high-fructose corn syrup for extra sweetness.

Where is the expiry date on Ocean Spray cranberry sauce? Ocean Spray best-by dates are in the format 11Mar13. The first 2 digits are the day, next 3 letters the month and the last 2 are the year.

Similar to red wine, cranberry juice contains a reasonable amount of tannins. Riddled with these bitter and mouth-drying compounds, the juice functions as a zero-alcohol stand-in for wine. Juxtaposing decadence and umami, tart cranberry juice proves itself as an equally effective palate cleanser.

If you take aspirin regularly, as a blood-thinner, for example, or if you are allergic to aspirin, you should not take cranberry supplements or drink a lot of juice. Other medications: Cranberry may interact with medications that are broken down by the liver.

Boil it a bit

Another way to reduce the runniness of your sauce is to physically remove the water by boiling it away.

Cranberries contain natural pectin and will gel without any additions. Cook until the berries pop to release the juices and then simmer another 5 minutes or so. It will not seem thick then but will thicken as it cools. If you really want it thicker, you can add additional pectin with a product such as Sure-Jell.

This cranberry sauce recipe thickens as it cools. So Let it cool to room temperature in a pan, then transfer it to an airtight storage container to chill completely in the refrigerator.

"Instead, start by stirring in one tablespoon maple syrup and one teaspoon of a sweet drink like apple juice, orange juice, or fruity white or red wine. Add more to taste. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt (in small amounts, it intensifies sweetness)."