For as long as I can remember, the cranberry sauce that's served on my family's Thanksgiving spread has come from a can. After it plops onto the plate after being shaken from the can, each slice is cut into a perfect half-circle donning ridges on the side from being packed into a can. As I've been introduced to different variations of cranberry sauce over the years, none has ever been able to take the place of the stuff that comes from a can. While the reasoning for my love of the canned version is partly due to tradition, it's also partly due to the taste.
Why I Choose Canned Cranberry Sauce
Not only do I not want to depart from tradition, but I also prefer the canned cranberry sauce to any homemade recipe I've ever tried. I love the texture, shape, ridges, and dependability of the cranberry sauce that comes from a can. Each year, no matter what happens or may go wrong, I know the cranberry sauce will taste exactly as it has for as long as I can remember. If I encounter a homemade cranberry sauce, I choose to skip it because no matter how it's made, it's not going to taste like the kind that's shaken from a can.
We Taste-Tested 7 Canned Cranberry Sauces To Find The Best One For Thanksgiving Dinner
Why Southern Living Editors Love Canned Cranberry Sauce
Like many holiday foods, cranberry sauce can be quite a polarizing topic, even amongst the staff at Southern Living. While there are some editors who prefer homemade cranberry sauce, the canned variety also has quite a following.
"There's something so beautifully perfect about the texture of canned cranberry sauce, and none of those homemade mess will ever compete," says Senior Digital Food Editor Kimberly Holland. "I don't want to chew my cranberry jelly."
Senior Digital News Editor Rebecca Angel Baer sums up her feelings about canned cranberry sauce by saying, "Why mess with perfection? If it doesn't have ridges from the can, I'm not interested."
In his tribute The Canned Stuff, Southern Living contributor Rick Bragg wrote, "I didn't know cranberries or jellied cranberries or whatever you call them came any other way."
"Personally, I've never thought that any homemade cranberry sauce is revolutionary enough to spend the time and kitchen space on making with everything else going on to prep for Thanksgiving," adds Digital Editor Kaitlyn Yarborough. "Canned is more than sufficient for the perfect tart bite."
I couldn't agree more.