Lemony Cranberry Relish

By Eric Kim

Published Nov. 17, 2021

Lemony Cranberry Relish
Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
4(482)
Comments
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Cranberry relish using a whole orange is a classic, but here, a whole lemon — pith and all — acts as the bitter, acerbic edge that your Thanksgiving plate needs. Try to find a thin-skinned lemon, which will prevent the relish from skewing too bitter. (Give it a squeeze before buying. Thin-skinned lemons will yield slightly under pressure, whereas thick-skinned lemons will feel hard.) This confetti of a condiment looks beautiful as well, almost like stained glass, with its jeweled, ruby gleam. Definitely make this the night before Thanksgiving to get it out of the way, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Featured in: A Beginner’s Thanksgiving: 7 Recipes That Lighten the Workload

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Ingredients

Yield:2 cups
  • 1(12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries (3 cups)
  • 1lemon, preferably thin-skinned, coarsely chopped and seeded
  • ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

282 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 74 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 58 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 78 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Rinse and drain the cranberries, then pick out and discard any squishy ones. In a food processor, pulse the cranberries, lemon, sugar and salt until finely chopped. You can serve this immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 48 hours, or until ready to serve. As it sits, the sugar will dissolve and the fruit will release liquid, creating a sweet-tart sauciness.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
482 user ratings
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Comments

Karen NBvW

I can only tell you that from childhood in the 50s the combo of orange & fresh c'berries as mentioned was something my entire family looked forward to more than ANYTHING else on the 'big' day! There is nothing as good as uncooked c'berries & w'out cooking & there is sufficient pectin that makes it set up quite well in fridge, though Mom made it a week B4 w'her old fashioned meat grinder, clamped to the counter edge! We fought over who would turn the crank!

Susan

For years I’ve made a cranberry lime relish(salsa). Cranberries, lime juice and zest, sugar, minced jalapeño, shallots and cilantro. The leftovers mixed with mayo is great on a turkey sandwich.

Prakash Nadkarni

The idea of uncooked cranberries is intriguing, but I suspect that brief cooking of the mixture (to a boil, then turn heat off) will work better: it will release pectin (from both cranberries and lemon rind) and form a desirable jelly-like texture. Also, for 340 gm cranberries + 80-100 gm whole lemon, 100 gm sugar may not offset the sour/bitter optimally: adjust sugar to taste, rather than hunting high-and-low for thin-skinned lemons. (The only guaranteed thin-skins I know are Meyer lemons.)

EB

Twas VERY strong. Would maybe try a little less lemon, greatly would improve it.

Sweet Tooth

Very piquant! But I liked it. If you like lemonade, you may like this.

Nancy T

Delish! Just made it ad added a 1/8 t. clove & 1/2 t. cinnamon.

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