I'm Making Anthony Bourdain’s 3-Ingredient Cranberry Relish for Every Thanksgiving

Of all the foods I looked forward to around the holidays as a kid, cranberry relish was at the bottom of the list. My family rarely had it at the dinner table, so my understanding of its magic was pretty much non-existent. For a long time my relationship with cranberries consisted of cranberry juice and the unappealing display of the canned gelatin variety. Trust me, I’m not proud of it. 

Today, I love cranberry relish for two reasons: It’s incredibly easy to make, and it's the perfect sweet and sour side dish to a large Thanksgiving dinner. Unlike cranberry sauce, cranberry relish can be made in just a few minutes with a food processor. You don’t need to spend a bunch of time reducing the sugar in boiling water or cooking the cranberries in it, either.

While thumbing through Anthony Bourdain’s Appetites: A Cookbook for Thanksgiving inspiration, I stumbled upon his recipe for cranberry relish. I was eager to give his take on this holiday classic a shot. What I didn’t know was that it would quickly become my favorite cranberry relish to make. 

How I Make Anthony Bourdain’s Cranberry Relish

Anthony's recipe calls for 12 ounces of fresh cranberries, a large orange, and a cup of sugar to make. I always start by giving the orange a thorough wash under warm water before chopping it in its entirety into smaller chunks.

Don’t peel the orange, just chop the whole thing coarsely and toss the pieces right into the food processor along with the cranberries. My food processor is pretty small, so I usually do this part in two batches: six ounces of cranberries to each orange halve. 

Pulse the fruits until the mixture takes on a grainy appearance, stopping periodically to push the excess mixture down the walls of the food processor with a spatula.

At this point you can transfer the fresh relish to a medium mixing bowl and begin to fold in a cup of sugar. Give it a taste, and as he says, “add even more if necessary to keep your ears from ringing with the sour intensity of the cranberries.”

Tricks and Tips 

As I mentioned before, cranberry relish is super easy to make, so long as you have a food processor. It serves eight to 12 people, so I prefer to cut it in half when making it for myself. I store the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and keep them in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to three months. 

The beauty of cranberry relish is that it tastes better over time, making it the perfect recipe to make ahead of dinner and free yourself up for other things. Anthony instructs readers to store the relish in the refrigerator at least overnight before eating. Give it a few days, and it’ll taste even better. 

When ready to eat, cranberry relish can be served chilled or at room temperature. Before digging in, I recommend adding the zest of one lime and a splash of its juice. This brightens up the flavors nicely and complements the recipe perfectly. Try it for yourself this holiday season, and thank me later.