Bourbon-Mint Cranberry Sauce

One of my favorite sides at Thanksgiving is the cranberry sauce. I look forward to it every year because every year we do something different. Sure, we’ve done the standard boiled cranberries with sugar, but we’ve also mixed the berries with shallots, and there have been several times my family has chosen to go completely different and make a raw cranberry relish instead. But no matter how those tart little berries are served, I’m always in!

While I love all the flavors that fuse together in these different sauces, what I love most about this side is how unbelievably easy it is to make. It’s so easy in fact, you can make this (or any cranberry sauce recipe) tonight or tomorrow morning and still have it in time for the big feast. Yes, it really is that easy. And because it’s that easy, I always experiment with it. So, when I saw this mint and bourbon version, I knew it was time for another experiment.

I’ve always been a big fan of the Mint Julep cocktail, so I figured adding those flavors to the tart cranberries would make a wonderful alternative to the standard cranberry dish. It did, but it wasn’t overly boozy. As a matter of fact, because I boiled the bourbon with the cranberries, all the alcohol content was gone, leaving a subtle bourbon flavor. When the bourbon and cranberries met with the mint, the combination made for a delicious sauce that will fit on any Thanksgiving table.

So, see, you don’t have to rely on the canned cranberries (unless you really want to). You can make cranberry sauce from scratch and be very, very happy.

Bourbon-Mint Cranberry Sauce (adapted from Fine Cooking)

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pounds fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 5 large sprigs of fresh mint
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries begin to pop, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and let cool. Remove the sprigs of mint and serve.

(This can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Then bring the sauce back to room temperature before serving.)