Sides / Stuffing, dressing & cranberry
Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish
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Pulse the cranberries with a whole orange, peel and all, and the kitchen smells like a holiday morning. Give it a night in the fridge to mellow, and it cuts through everything rich on the table.
The short version
Pulse a bag of cranberries and a whole navel orange, peel and all, in the food processor until finely chopped, stir in ⅔ cup sugar and a pinch of salt, and refrigerate at least overnight. Pulse, don't purée, and give it the night.
What makes ours better
why ours wins the argument at dinner
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Trim the orange before it goes in. The whole orange, peel included, gives the relish its perfume. Cutting off the two ends and the white core first takes out the thickest pith, so you keep the orange flavor and lose most of the harsh bitterness.
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Less sugar, plus a pinch of salt. The classic ratio is a full cup of sugar per bag, which tastes more like candy than fruit. Two-thirds of a cup and a pinch of salt keep it tart and make the orange taste brighter.
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Let it sit a day. Fresh from the processor it tastes raw and sharp. Overnight in the fridge, the sugar dissolves into a syrup, the peel softens and the bitterness mellows. It's better on day two than day one.
What you need
the stars of the show
- Fresh or frozen cranberries12 ounces
- Navel orange1 large
- Granulated sugar⅔ cup
yes, all of the butter
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Trim the orange
Cut off both ends of the orange, about ¼ inch each. Cut it into eighths lengthwise, then slice away the strip of white core running down the center of each wedge and pick out any seeds. Leave the peel on.
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Pulse in two batches
Put half the cranberries and half the orange in a food processor and pulse in 1-second bursts, scraping down the sides once, until everything is chopped into pieces about the size of a lentil, 10 to 15 pulses. Scrape it into a bowl and repeat with the rest.
Pulse, don't run the motor. A few seconds too long and you have pink purée instead of relish.
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Sweeten and season
Stir the sugar and salt into the relish until evenly mixed. It will taste very tart and a little bitter right now; that changes overnight.
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Chill overnight
Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours and up to 2 weeks. The sugar melts into a glossy syrup and the color deepens.
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Taste and serve
Stir before serving and taste. If it's still too sharp for you, stir in another tablespoon or two of sugar. Serve it cold or at room temperature.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- Frozen cranberries work as well as fresh and chop even more neatly. Use them straight from the freezer.
- For a warmer version, add 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger, or half a peeled, cored crisp apple pulsed with the second batch.
- Toasted chopped pecans or walnuts are good stirred in just before serving; add them at the last minute so they stay crunchy.
- It doubles easily. Process in batches no bigger than one bag of berries at a time.
- Storage. Covered in the fridge, up to 2 weeks. Freezes for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and stir before serving, as it will be a little softer.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
What is the difference between cranberry relish and cranberry sauce?
Relish is raw, chopped and crunchy, with a sharper, fresher taste. Cranberry sauce is cooked until the berries burst and sets into something jammy. See fresh cranberry sauce with orange for ours.
Can I make cranberry orange relish ahead of time?
Yes, and you should. It needs at least a night in the fridge and keeps for up to 2 weeks, so make it the weekend before.
Why is my cranberry relish bitter?
The white pith of the orange is the bitter part. Trim the ends and the core, give it a full night to mellow, and add a little more sugar if it's still too sharp.
Can I make it without a food processor?
A blender works if you pulse it in small batches with a spoon of the sugar to get things moving. You can also chop everything by hand with a big knife; it takes about 15 minutes.
Can I use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar?
Yes. Start with ½ cup of either and adjust after it sits overnight. The relish will be a little looser and taste of the honey or maple.
From the table
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Published October 26, 2026.