Cranberry Horseradish Relish and Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it centers around delicious home-cooked food. I love experimenting with different dishes and ways to cook the turkey. I am a big fan of cranberry sauce. I think it adds a perfect a tartness and sweetness that complements the turkey and other dishes. 

But there is actually an even better cranberry dish, and that is this cranberry horseradish relish. It adds creaminess and heat to the tartness and sweetness. It totally elevates turkey to near prime rib status thanks to the flavors and horseradish kick.

I discovered this relish recipe one day driving to work and listening to NPR. There was a guest that talked about their Mama Stamberg and this famous cranberry relish. I am so glad I was tuned in that day because this really is an epic sauce for turkey and even on leftover sandwiches the next day. Word of warning, the sauce is super pink (Pepto Bismol pink) which is strange, but boy is it delicious.

I've tweaked the recipe portions from what's on NPR because I like to make both the cranberry relish and the sauce using one 8oz organic bag of cranberries. It still makes plenty of both for the main meal and for leftovers the next day. Be sure to make these sauces a day or more in advance to help the texture and flavor meld.

Relish Ingredients

• 3oz whole raw cranberries (just shy of 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup diced red onion, soaked in water for 10 minutes to remove some of the bite
• 1/4 cup sour cream (full fat)
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tbsp horseradish from a jar (I go for the hotter one if there's a choice)

Relish Directions

• Finely dice the cranberries and soaked onion or use a food processor by pulsing 15-20 times and scraping the sides down to incorporate any large pieces. Leave chunky, not a puree.
• Mix the cranberries and onion with all the other ingredients in a freezer proof dish. This amount of relish fits perfectly into an 8oz mason jar and will look good on the Thanksgiving table.
• Freeze the mixture overnight or longer.
• On Thanksgiving morning, take the container out of the freezer and put in the fridge to thaw.
• Remove from fridge when ready to serve. Break up any ice crystals with a spoon (which are okay to keep), stir, and serve.

Sauce Ingredients

• 5oz whole raw cranberries (1.5 cup)
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• Pinch of salt

Sauce Directions

• Add the ingredients to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the berries burst and the sauce gets bubbly and foamy.
• Transfer to the serving dish, cover, and refrigerate. 
• Remove from fridge when ready to serve.