Can You Freeze Cranberry Sauce? (2024)

FAQs

Can You Freeze Cranberry Sauce? ›

Yes, when stored properly, you can freeze leftover homemade cranberry sauce. Before freezing, keep three important principles in mind: cool it, wrap it and label it (the same rules apply when freezing homemade meals). First, it's important that any cooked food has cooled down before it goes into the freezer.

Yes, you can freeze homemade cranberry sauce—and it works well. It's best to store it in the freezer for up to 3 months; the taste may be affected due to its water content if frozen longer. Keep this in mind when putting away your leftover sauce and use it during this optimal period as part of an easy weeknight dinner.

Cranberry sauce will last for two hours at room temperature. Homemade cranberry sauce will last in the fridge for 10 to 14 days. Canned cranberry sauce that has been opened will last up to a week in the fridge.

Although you can refreeze cranberry sauce, it will affect the taste and texture, so I don't recommend it. If you do refreeze it, it's best to do it with cranberry sauce that has been defrosted in the fridge. That way, the quality won't be affected too much.

Cranberries freeze well when properly stored. They retain their color, good flavor and quality for eight to 12 months. Maintaining a temperature of zero degrees Fahrenheit or below is recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

It's perfectly fine to serve up cranberry sauce — whole berry or jelled — straight out of the can. But in my experience, heating the canned sauce up takes its flavor to the next level. Plus, it becomes a little more aesthetically pleasing.

Some simple ways to use frozen cranberries include: Blend into smoothies. Make your own cranberry sauce (and then see our post regarding cranberry sauce uses) Make sweet or savory salsa.

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.

It\'s loaded with sugar

Take, for instance, the popular Ocean Spray whole berry cranberry sauce. A single, quarter-cup serving is loaded with 22 grams of sugar, while the jellied version boasts 24 grams of sugar. To put it another way, that\'s the equivalent of about 6 teaspoons of sugar in a single serving.

Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. To store, let cool completely, then transfer to a resealable container and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Do frozen cranberries get mushy when thawed? ›

If you thaw the frozen cranberries, they will be pretty mushy. But in almost every recipe in which I have ever used frozen cranberries, I have never needed to thaw them before using them.

When is it safe to refreeze food? You can safely refreeze frozen food that has thawed—raw or cooked, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. To safely refreeze, the thawed product must have been kept cold at 40 degrees or below for no more than 3-4 days.

Homemade cranberry sauce keeps wonderfully in the freezer for up to three months. Pour your cooled cranberry sauce into freezer-friendly zip-top plastic bags, and remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing.

Once open, it can be stored in a container with a tightly fitting lid for up to two weeks. Just make sure to remove it from the can before storing, and don't freeze it as it could become watery upon thawing.

Both fresh and dried cranberries are safe to feed to dogs in small quantities. Whether your dog will like this tart treat is another question. Either way, moderation is important when feeding cranberries to dogs, as with any treat, as too many can lead to an upset stomach.

We normally don't suggest freezing cranberry sauce. After thawing, it may become too watery. We do suggest making sauce ahead of time and storing it in an air-tight container in your refrigerator. It will keep for up to one week.

Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

To make-ahead: Cranberry relish can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To freeze: Store cranberry relish in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. To use, remove it from the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator.

DO NOT THAW frozen cranberries before using. Simply rinse in cold water and use as directed for fresh cranberries. Frozen berries can be chopped in a food processor (one bag or 3 cups / 750 mL at a time).