Cranberries divide Thanksgiving dinner guests into two camps: Those who prefer chunky compote and those who like a jiggly, jello-like condiment with their holiday meal (store-bought or otherwise). This cranberry-orange sauce recipe is for the first group. Bright citrus and warming cinnamon are the complements cranberries look for this time of the year, and navel oranges conveniently come into season just in time for the holiday. (If you prefer cranberry relish or a cranberry sauce recipe with a bit of orange zest that’s so simple it doesn’t even require a recipe, we also have you covered).

Preparation

Step 1

Place orange in a large saucepan and pour in cold water to come 1″ up sides of pan. Bring to a boil, then remove immediately from heat and drain orange in a mesh sieve or colander. Rinse under cold water; return to saucepan. Add cranberries, sugar, butter, cinnamon, allspice, and salt and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Step 2

Cook, stirring often and reducing heat as needed to avoid scorching, until cranberries burst, juices are syrupy, and pan is visible when a wooden spoon is dragged across the bottom, 12–15 minutes. Let cool.