Smoked Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce
If you’re looking for Thanksgiving recipes to spice up your holiday feast, then try this smoked jalapeno cranberry sauce! The smoky flavors of grilled jalapenos combine with the sweetness of homemade orange cranberry sauce for the perfect Thanksgiving side dish.
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
- 6 fresh whole jalapeños
- 16 oz bag cranberries *See notes
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup orange marmalade
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup *See notes
Instructions
- Preheat pellet grill or smoker to 225℉ with your choice of wood or pellets.
- Cut jalapeños in very thin slices, similar to a coin shape. Spread the "coins" out in an even layer on a wire cooling rack set on top of a sheet tray. Smoke the jalapeno slices for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are dried out and turn a dark color. *See notes for less spicy cranberry sauce.
- Add the smoked jalapeno slices to a large skillet over medium heat with the cranberries, orange juice, orange marmalade, brown sugar, and salt. Stir all ingredients together well, and cook down for about 1-2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the cranberry sauce for about 7-8 minutes, stirring often. The cranberries will burst as they heat, and you can also use your spatula to mash them up a bit.
- When the sauce is almost done cooking, taste for sweetness. Stir in the maple syrup, adjusting the amount if needed. Continue to cook another 2-3 minutes, or until the cranberry sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Remove from the heat and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
- Fresh or frozen cranberries - Either will work for this recipe. If using frozen, allow to thaw in a bowl on the counter for 1 hour before cooking.
- Alternate method for smoking jalapeños - If you want a mild jalapeno flavor, then smoke the jalapeños whole on the grill. This will allow you to easily remove the seeds and ribs before dicing and adding the peppers to your cranberry sauce.
- Maple syrup options - I used a bourbon barrel maple syrup in my cranberry sauce. The bold bourbon notes added another element of flavor and smoky goodness. If you don’t have it, substitute regular pure maple syrup or honey – but definitely don’t use the fake high fructose corn syrup stuff.
- Adjust the sweetness - Taste the cranberry sauce for sweetness before adding the syrup. Adjust the amount of maple syrup if needed.