Cranberry Pineapple Sauce Recipe

This Cranberry Pineapple Sauce recipe combines tart cranberry sauce with sweet crushed pineapple, savoury onion and garlic, fresh ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar. Featured on License to Grill with Rob Rainford, this easy stovetop sauce delivers a bright balance of sweet, tangy, fruity, and savoury flavours that pair beautifully with grilled meats and barbecue dishes.

The Inspiration

Featured on License to Grill with host Rob Rainford, this Cranberry Pineapple Sauce reflects the show’s bold, approachable style of building flavour with simple ingredients.

On License to Grill, Rob Rainford often uses sauces to add contrast and personality to grilled foods, and this recipe does that by combining tart cranberry with tropical pineapple. The cranberry sauce provides a rich, fruity base, while crushed pineapple adds sweetness, texture, and a bright tropical note.

The savoury ingredients keep the sauce balanced. White onion and garlic are sautéed first in sunflower oil, creating an aromatic base before the remaining ingredients are added. Fresh ginger brings warmth and a subtle spicy edge, while soy sauce adds salty, umami depth.

Red wine vinegar introduces acidity that sharpens the fruit flavours and prevents the sauce from becoming overly sweet. Brown sugar rounds out the mixture, helping balance the tart cranberry and tangy vinegar.

The sauce is simmered gently until slightly thickened, allowing the flavours to blend into a glossy, spoonable condiment that pairs naturally with grilled pork, chicken, sausages, or other barbecue dishes.

Ingredients

• 1 12 oz can of cranberry sauce
• 1 12 oz can of crushed pineapple
• 1 medium sized white onion, diced
• 1 tbsp of garlic, minced (15ml)
• 1 tbsp of sunflower oil (15ml)
• 2 tbsp of soya sauce (30ml)
• 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar (15ml)
• 1 tbsp of fresh minced ginger (15ml)
• 1 ½ tbsp of brown sugar (22.5ml)

Method

• Place the onion, garlic and oil in a sauce pan and sauté until translucent.
• Add the remaining ingredients and simmer gently until slightly thickened – approximately 30 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

This Cranberry Pineapple Sauce pairs especially well with grilled pork, chicken, sausages, or other savoury barbecue meats. The tart cranberry and sweet pineapple provide a fruity contrast to smoky proteins, while soy sauce and ginger keep the flavour grounded and savoury.

For a barbecue meal, serve the sauce warm in a small bowl so guests can spoon it over sliced pork tenderloin, grilled chicken, or ribs. It also works well as a condiment for sandwiches made with leftover grilled meats.

The sauce can also complement roasted sweet potatoes, grilled vegetables, or rice, where its sweet-tangy character can add extra depth to simple sides.

Final Thoughts

This Cranberry Pineapple Sauce recipe brings together fruit, aromatics, acidity, and savoury seasoning in one simple, flavorful condiment. Cranberry provides tartness, while pineapple adds sweetness and texture. Onion and garlic create the savoury foundation, and fresh ginger gives the sauce warmth and personality.

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