HELP! My homemade cranberry sauce did not gel and is watery

[MrsD]

I just made a cranberry sauce and for some reason it did not gel correctly. I put a little more sugar than what was required and added pears. I am not sure if I cooked them exactly 10 minutes, but they had all popped and I figured it was done. Is there anyway to make this gel? If I start over with a new batch and add it to the batch that did not gel, would that work? The taste of this is unbelievable, so I don't want it to be a total waste, but I am making it for Thanksgiving and really would like the thick consistency. What can I do?

[coll]

This is an old post, but I was having that problem a few years ago myself, until I noticed that the size of the Ocean Spray cranberries package was downsized to 12 oz, rather than a pound. Once I adjusted the quantities, everything was fine.

[jeanmarieok]

I'd add a package of Jello, then refrigerate...

[thisisrobin]

Put a little bit on a metal spoon and hold the spoon on a piece of ice for a minute to see if it gels. Otherwise give it another 5 minute simmer and try again.

[MMRuth]

I made mine yesterday and I always find it takes a couple of hours to gel - if it doesn't at that point, then I boil down a little more.

[efdee]

I'll join in: you just didn't cook it long enough. I cook my cranberries with a Granny Smith apple, sugar, and orange juice over pretty low heat so it doesn't scorch and let it bubble away for way longer than 10 minutes. Just stir it from time to time and it will thicken up beautifully. Happy Thanksgiving, all.

[bdinah]

I agree with Candy--cook it longer. 10 minutes is not very long, anyway. Let it bubble away for a while and then take rmperry's suggestion and let it set in the frig. It'll be FINE.

[Candy]

Put back in the pot and cook it longer. The pears aded extra moisture that you need to evaporate.

[rmperry]

Have you put it in the refrigerator? Cooling it may make it thicken up too.

[scott123]

Bloom some gelatin, heat the sauce and combine. That should help it gel.

Pectin would probably be even better, but I'm not sure how to add pectin to an existing sauce.