The traditional Thanksgiving table in America usually has a big roast turkey surrounded by mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, and, of course, cranberry sauce. There may be some variations based on family traditions or cultural backgrounds. Advertisement.
No matter if you like it fresh or in a can, most Americans agree that we should wait until November to eat this sweet and sour side dish. But where did the tradition come from?.
Come Thanksgiving, you can expect to find a few familiar faces gracing the holiday table – turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and, of course, cranberry sauce. The tart, red condiment has become an indispensable part of the classic Thanksgiving feast. But how exactly did cranberry sauce become so intrinsically tied to turkey dinners? There are a few origin theories and practical reasons behind this time-honored tradition.
A Brief History of Cranberry Sauce
While cranberries themselves have been around for centuries, cranberry sauce is a more recent development. There’s evidence that Native Americans combined cranberries with meat and fat to make pemmican, an early form of energy bar. But it wasn’t until the 1600s that European colonists started experimenting with cranberry recipes.
One of the first published cranberry sauce recipes appeared in American Cookery by Amelia Simmons in 1796. As cranberry farming grew in the 19th century, the tangy sauce became more affordable and accessible But it was the innovation of canned cranberry sauce in the early 20th century that cemented cranberry sauce as a holiday staple. With canned sauce, enjoying cranberry sauce year-round became quick and convenient.
Why Cranberries Fit with Turkey
There are a few key reasons why cranberry sauce made for an ideal pairing for turkey:
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Tartness – The bright, tangy flavor of cranberries balances out turkey’s milder taste.
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Sweetness – Cranberry sauce’s touch of sweetness counters the saltiness of roasted turkey.
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Color – The red sauce pops visually next to slices of brown turkey meat.
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Nutrition – Cranberries provided key nutrients like vitamin C to supplement turkey.
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Storage – Canned cranberry sauce keeps easily through winter when Thanksgiving was observed.
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Convenience – Canned sauce required minimal prep work alongside a large turkey dinner.
Cranberry Sauce Complements Turkey
More specifically, cranberry sauce is the perfect complement to roasted turkey for a few key reasons:
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Moisture – Turkey often ends up dry, so the moist fruit sauce helps moisten the meat.
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Flavors – Bland turkey benefits from the tart, fruity flavor of cranberry sauce.
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Acidity – The brightness balances out the fattiness of the turkey.
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Sweetness – The touch of sweetness and tartness cuts through the saltiness.
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Texture – The smooth sauce contrasts nicely with the tender, shredded poultry.
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Appearance – The bright red sauce is visually appealing next to slices of turkey.
Alternatives to Cranberry Sauce with Turkey
While cranberry sauce may be the most popular, there are other options for sauces and condiments to pair with your Thanksgiving turkey:
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Gravy – The classic pan sauce adds moisture and savoriness.
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Chutney – Fruity chutneys like mango, apple, or pear work nicely.
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Salsa – Cranberry salsa can add Southwest flair.
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Jam – Sweet jams like orange, cherry, or strawberry complement turkey.
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Mustard – Spicy mustards can perk up mild turkey.
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Horseradish Sauce – Adds punchy flavor.
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Compote – Try an apple, pear, or quince compote.
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Chimichurri – Herby green chimichurri brightens up the plate.
Other Ways to Use Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce isn’t just relegated to the Thanksgiving table! The versatile condiment can be enjoyed in many other ways:
- As a sandwich spread
- As a pizza topping
- Swirled into oatmeal or yogurt
- As a glaze for chicken or pork
- In muffins, breads or cookies
- As a pancake or waffle topping
- As a filling for crepes or galettes
- In a turkey cranberry salad sandwich
- As a crostini or bruschetta topping
- In a cranberry vinaigrette over greens
- As a dip for sliced fruit or pretzels
An Iconic Holiday Pairing
While the Pilgrims didn’t feast on cranberry sauce during the first Thanksgiving, it has still earned its place at our tables today. The contrast of sweet tartness and rich turkey meat simply works. With its festive shade of red, cranberry sauce is a bright spot on any holiday spread. This classic pairing is a taste of nostalgia for many Thanksgiving revelers. So pass the cranberry sauce – it just wouldn’t be turkey without it!
Cranberries are one of the only Native American fruits
Many people know that cranberries, blueberries, and Concord grapes are the only fruits grown commercially in the United States that are native to the country. So if youre going to pick a fruit to represent the American harvest, this is it.
While we cant know for sure what exactly was on the menu at the first Thanksgiving (despite what your elementary school teacher may have told you), there are records of the Pilgrim governor Willam Bradford sending four men on a “fowling mission,” which could have meant hunting for turkey, goose, duck, or swan, according to the History Channel. Advertisement
Other than that, we can only speculate as to what was on the menu. Native Americans were known to eat cranberries regularly and use them as a natural dye for clothing, so chances are they were found on Thanksgiving Day, 1621. But sweetened cranberry sauce was not an invention until later.
The original cranberry sauce recipe origins
Even if cranberries were natural found in the Americas, it could not be sweetened. The History Channel says that the first Americans brought sugar cane to the new land, but it took them almost 50 years to figure out how to make it grow.
Native American recipes for simple cranberry sauce made with sugar and water were written down as early as the mid- to late-17th century. By the 18th century, cranberry sauce was known to go with game meat like turkey. Advertisement.
The first acknowledgment of a cranberry sauce recipe can be found in the 1796 cookbook American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, which calls for serving roast turkey with “boiled onions and cranberry-sauce,” according to The Washington Post.
Basic 3 Ingredient Cranberry Sauce (Plus Variations!)
FAQ
Why is cranberry sauce associated with Thanksgiving?
Is cranberry sauce supposed to go on turkey?
Why does turkey and cranberry go together?
What meat do Americans traditionally eat cranberry sauce with?
Does cranberry sauce go with Turkey?
And one of cranberry’s earliest documented appearances with turkey can be found in the 1796 cookbook American Cookery, where author Amelia Simmons suggests pairing roast turkey with cranberry sauce and boiled onions.
Is jellied cranberry sauce good for our health?
That infamous block of canned cranberry sauce! Cranberry sauce can be rich in antioxidants and overall can be part of a healthy diet. I encourage you to look at the nutrition label and see how much added sugar is in the container as this will have more of an effect on our health. Ideally we want to minimize the amount of added sugar in our diets, but this is challenging for cranberries as they are tart and sour by nature. Most people do not find this palatable. So you can either elect an option that is lower in added sugar, or modify your portion size so it does not have a tremendous effect. I hope this helps. Thanks for your question! Noah, RD
Did you eat cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving?
While plenty of people eat turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie year-round, it seems like cranberry sauce almost exclusively exists in the Thanksgiving universe. Although we don’t know for sure whether it was eaten at the very first Thanksgiving, the jiggly, gelatinous side dish does have deep roots in the history of America’s fruited plains.
What is cranberry sauce?
Cranberry sauce is one of the most important components of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Cranberries are one of the few commercially grown fruits native to the United States. The traditional cranberry sauce, made with sugar, did not become popularized until the 19th century.
Does cranberry sauce come out of a can?
Cranberry sauce is a Thanksgiving necessity, even when it comes straight out of the can. What’s red and jiggly with ridges all over? Canned cranberry sauce, otherwise known as a highly polarizing American holiday tradition that divides Thanksgiving into two camps: Team Homemade and Team Canned.
Where did cranberry sauce come from?
Canned cranberry sauce, on the other hand, has a clear point of origin: It was invented by a lawyer-turned-cranberry-grower named Marcus Urann in the early 20th century. Back then, cranberries were considered a seasonal fruit, available only between September and November.