Are you wondering how long cranberry sauce lasts in the fridge and if it matters if it's homemade or from a can? The answer to your second query is a resounding "Yes" and, to the first, "That depends."
It's probably been a while since you've been in the cranberry game, so consider this a sauce-focused Thanksgiving food safety refresher. We cover everything you need to know about the storage and longevity of cranberry sauce: homemade and canned, refrigerating and freezing, and when you have to throw it out.
When to Toss Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce will last for two hours at room temperature. Homemade cranberry sauce will last in the fridge for 10 to 14 days. Canned cranberry sauce that has been opened will last up to a week in the fridge.
We hear you: After a long day of cooking, hosting, and celebrating, something's bound to get overlooked. If you've inadvertently left cranberry sauce on the kitchen counter overnight—whether it's homemade or store-bought—throw it away, no matter how painful.
You can safely leave a container of cranberry sauce on the kitchen counter at room temperature for up to 2 hours. After that, your cranberry sauce—and most other perishable foods, especially those containing eggs and dairy—enters the Danger Zone, the USDA's term for the temperature range between 40 and 140 degrees F, in which bacteria quickly multiply.
Perhaps you're unsure how long your cranberry sauce has been sitting out, or you don't remember how long it's been hiding at the back of the fridge. When in question, summon your senses to determine if your cranberry sauce is bad or spoiled, and this goes for homemade and canned: If it has an "off" smell, flavor, or appearance—or if mold appears—toss it.
How to Store Homemade Cranberry Sauce
When it comes to storing your homemade cranberry sauce, you have options: the refrigerator or the freezer:
- To refrigerate, transfer to a covered glass or plastic container, and it'll keep for 10 to 14 days.
- To freeze, transfer to a covered, airtight container or freezer-safe bag, and it'll stay fresh-tasting in your freezer for about 1 month. Beyond that, it's still safe to eat (though less fresh-tasting) for up to a year.
How to Store Canned Cranberry Sauce
It may not matter to your guests if you serve homemade or canned cranberry sauce, but when it comes to food storage, it does make a difference. Of course, it also matters if the can has been opened or not.
Unopened Cranberry Sauce
As long as an unopened can of cranberry sauce is stored in a consistently cool pantry, it'll keep and taste good for at least a year beyond the date stamped on the can. (That date is the manufacturer’s estimate of how long the cranberry sauce will remain at peak quality and is not a safety-related expiration date.) After a few years, if the can is intact, the cranberry sauce’s texture, color, or flavor may change, but it likely won’t be dangerous.
Regardless of a can's date, toss out any cranberry sauce cans that are leaky, rusted, bulging, or severely dented. If the top of the can is rounded instead of flat, the cranberry sauce has most likely gone bad. If you open the can and anything is brown or black, toss the can and its contents ASAP!
Opened Cranberry Sauce
If you need to store cranberry sauce from a can that's been opened, you really just have one option: the refrigerator. Start by transferring your cranberry sauce from the can to an airtight container, and then you can safely leave it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freezing canned cranberry sauce isn’t a good idea because it turns watery. While not recommended, it's not unsafe to freeze it, and it'll stay good in the freezer for a month.
To avoid having to throw that cranberry sauce away, there are plenty of ways to use leftover cranberry sauce outside of your holiday feast. Smear it as a condiment on a leftover turkey sandwich, mix some into your morning bowl of oatmeal, or warm it up to use as a decadent tangy topping for vanilla ice cream.
FAQs
When to Toss Cranberry Sauce. Cranberry sauce will last for two hours at room temperature. Homemade cranberry sauce will last in the fridge for 10 to 14 days. Canned cranberry sauce that has been opened will last up to a week in the fridge.
How long will canned cranberry sauce last? ›
Unopened canned cranberry sauce can last a year in the pantry but make sure to check the "best before" date to make sure it hasn't expired, and once open, it can be stored in a container with a tightly fitting lid for up to two weeks.
Does homemade cranberry sauce need to be refrigerated? ›
Freshly made sauce should be refrigerated.
How long does homemade cranberry sauce last in the freezer? ›
Always remember to label and date your cranberry sauce for freezing so you know when it's good to use-by. Homemade cranberry sauce will freeze beautifully for about 3-4 months. Due to its water content, we don't recommend freezing it for more than a couple of months.
Is canned cranberry sauce better than homemade? ›
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.
Is homemade cranberry sauce good for you? ›
The homemade cranberry sauce has nearly half the calories, carbohydrates, and sugars compared to the store brand. It also has more fiber as well as potassium! Thankfully, buying cranberry sauce at the store is not the only option. We have the perfect Simple Cranberry Sauce recipe to make for the upcoming holidays!
Do you just eat cranberry sauce out of the can? ›
It's perfectly fine to serve up cranberry sauce — whole berry or jelled — straight out of the can. But in my experience, heating the canned sauce up takes its flavor to the next level. Plus, it becomes a little more aesthetically pleasing.
How long does homemade cranberry sauce last in a mason jar? ›
When to Toss Cranberry Sauce. Cranberry sauce will last for two hours at room temperature. Homemade cranberry sauce will last in the fridge for 10 to 14 days. Canned cranberry sauce that has been opened will last up to a week in the fridge.
Why is my cranberry sauce runny? ›
Mistake #2: Your Cranberry Sauce Is Too Runny
You may have added too much liquid to the cranberries. In addition to pectin, cranberries contain water, which means you only need to add a splash of liquid to get the cooking going. Add too much and you'll be stirring at the stove much longer than expected.
How to thicken cranberry sauce? ›
Try reducing the sauce down even further so more of the liquid cooks off and the mixture thickens. If that doesn't work, add a thickener like gelatin, pectin or a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch whisked into juice or water). Let the sauce cool before refrigerating to completely set.
Is cranberry sauce supposed to be hot or cold? Either! Some prefer to have it served fresh and warm, straight out of the pot, while others need it completely cooled down to enjoy the flavours. Personally, we prefer cooled sauce.
Can frozen cranberries be used instead of fresh? ›
Yes! Fresh cranberries freeze for up to a year and can often be substituted in recipes that call for fresh cranberries. When cooking with frozen cranberries, do not thaw before using.
Can I freeze homemade cranberry relish? ›
To make-ahead: Cranberry relish can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To freeze: Store cranberry relish in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. To use, remove it from the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator.
Are there any benefits to eating cranberry sauce? ›
Health Benefits
Cranberries are also rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as the metabolism-boosting mineral manganese. And yes, you reap all these benefits whether the cranberry sauce on your holiday table is homemade or canned, jellied or whole-berry.
How can I improve canned cranberry sauce? ›
Adding a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon or orange zest, a tablespoon of chopped candied peel, or even a splash of juice to your canned sauce will brighten flavors and bring in some homemade flavor.
What are the two types of cranberry sauce? ›
Cranberry sauce can be served either as a gooey liquid or as a solid jelly. The jellied version is solid enough to retain the shape of the container in which it's placed whereas the sauce version is much more fluid. The difference between the fluid sauce and the jelly versions comes down to pectin.
What is the shelf life of canned cranberry juice? ›
But, if you want to enjoy these benefits, and your juice at its freshness, you need to know how long it lasts. While cranberry juice remains usable for about eight months prior to being opened, once you crack it open, you should use it within three weeks to enjoy it at its best.
How to read the expiration date on Ocean Spray cranberry sauce? ›
One thing that I never really noticed until someone pointed it out to me on Saturday was that Ocean Spray labels cranberry sauce cans upside down. After closer inspection, I noticed the words "Open other end" written on the top. When I flipped the can over, I found the expiration date information.
Can jellied cranberry sauce be frozen? ›
Unlike its homemade counterpart, canned cranberry sauce doesn't freeze or defrost very well. The jellied texture changes after freezing, becoming more watery. Even the leading authority on canned cranberry sauce, Ocean Spray, agrees that freezing canned cranberry sauce is not recommended.
How long will cranberry relish last in the refrigerator? ›
To make-ahead: Cranberry relish can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To freeze: Store cranberry relish in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. To use, remove it from the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator.
