Step 1

Add the sugar and water to a medium saucepot. Stir to combine. Place the pot over medium heat and bring the liquid to a boil.

Step 2

While the liquid in the pot is heating, rinse the cranberries. Once the water and sugar are boiling, add the cleaned cranberries and place lid on top. Allow the liquid to come back up to a boil, at which point the cranberries will begin to pop.

Step 3

Once all the cranberries have popped, remove the lid, give it a stir, and turn the heat down to medium low. Let the pot continue to simmer over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the cranberries have completely broken down.

Step 4

While the cranberries simmer, remove the zest from the orange using a microplane, zester, or small-holed cheese grater. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into a bowl (about 1/2 cup juice).

Step 5

Once the cranberries have broken down, stir the orange juice into the sauce. Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in about 1 tsp of the orange zest. Allow the sauce to cool slightly, then serve.