7 to 10 days
Covered, in the fridge (USDA FoodKeeper)
1 to 2 weeks
Moved to a covered container in the fridge (USDA FoodKeeper)
2 years
In a cool, dry pantry (USDA FoodKeeper)
The short version: keep cranberry sauce covered in the fridge once it is made or opened. Homemade sauce keeps 7 to 10 days and opened canned sauce 1 to 2 weeks, according to the USDA's FoodKeeper data. Unopened cans, however, keep about 2 years in the pantry. FoodKeeper does not recommend freezing it, because it can turn watery. Finally, throw out any sauce with mold.
Storage times here come from the USDA's FoodKeeper data, with handling and mold guidance from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and Clemson Cooperative Extension.
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What to check before you store cranberry sauce
Cranberry sauce keeps longest when you know which kind you have, because the USDA's FoodKeeper data gives homemade and canned sauce different times. So check a few things before it goes away.
Homemade or canned decides how long it keeps.
Firstly, check the can before you open it. Clemson Cooperative Extension says that a bulging lid or leaking can is a sign of spoilage. So a swollen or leaking can goes straight in the bin.
Secondly, move opened canned sauce out of the can. That is because a covered glass or plastic container keeps it fresher and stops it picking up fridge smells.
Then label homemade sauce with the day you made it. The 7 to 10 day clock starts then, rather than when you first serve it. The raw berries keep far longer, as the fresh cranberries guide explains.
Finally, use a clean spoon each time. That way, crumbs and other food stay out of the jar as well. The rest of the meal has its own guides, such as leftover turkey and stuffing.
How to store cranberry sauce
To store cranberry sauce, keep it covered in the fridge once it is made or opened. Before that, a sealed can is happy in the pantry.
How long does homemade cranberry sauce last?
Homemade cranberry sauce lasts 7 to 10 days in the fridge, according to the USDA's FoodKeeper data. So a sauce made on Tuesday for Thanksgiving is good until about the following weekend. Also, keep it covered and use a clean spoon each time.
Covered in the fridge, rather than left in the open can.
How long does canned cranberry sauce last once opened?
Opened canned cranberry sauce lasts 1 to 2 weeks in the fridge, according to the USDA's FoodKeeper data. Unopened, however, the same can keeps about 2 years in the pantry.
So the can buys you a little more time than homemade. Even so, move it into a covered container once it is open.
Does cranberry sauce need to be refrigerated?
Yes, once it is made or opened. The USDA's FoodKeeper data gives homemade and opened canned cranberry sauce only fridge times. In contrast, an unopened can is fine in the pantry. Also, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving.
Can cranberry sauce be left out on the table?
For the meal, yes. Then put it back in the fridge within 2 hours, since FSIS advises refrigerating leftovers within that time. That way the rest of the bowl still stays good for its full 7 to 10 days.
How should you store an unopened can?
Keep an unopened can in a cool, dry pantry, where the USDA's FoodKeeper data gives it about 2 years. However, check it before opening: Clemson Cooperative Extension says a bulging lid or leaking can is a sign of spoilage, and so is liquid that spurts out when you open it.
Can you freeze cranberry sauce?
Freezing is not recommended. The USDA's FoodKeeper data says it does not recommend freezing cranberry sauce, because after thawing it may become too watery. So it is better to make or open only what you will use within its fridge time.
What if you freeze it anyway?
Expect a thinner, wetter sauce after thawing, just as FoodKeeper warns. So it suits cooking, such as a glaze or a sauce for meat, better than serving cold. Then use it within its fridge time once thawed.
Thinner after thawing, so freeze it for cooking.
Can you freeze whole cranberries instead?
Yes. The USDA's FoodKeeper data gives fresh cranberries 2 months in the fridge and 12 months in the freezer. So if you want sauce later in the year, freeze the berries and cook the sauce when you need it.
How do you make cranberry sauce last longer?
Above all, keep it cold, covered and clean. Also, take out only what you will serve, rather than leaving the whole bowl on the table. Then return it to the fridge within 2 hours.
How to tell if cranberry sauce has gone bad
Cranberry sauce is tart and sweet, but it still spoils, so the dates on the chart matter. Then check the signs below, since each one calls for a different response.
Verdict: eat it
Fresh cranberry sauce
Deep red and glossy, either jellied and firm or loose with whole berries, with a bright, tart smell. In other words, this is sauce inside its 7 to 10 days homemade or 1 to 2 weeks opened. So serve it.
Verdict: stir it and eat it
Watery cranberry sauce
A little clear liquid pooling around the sauce after a few days in the fridge. Similarly, FoodKeeper notes a watery result after freezing. So if it is inside its time and smells normal, stir it back in and serve it.
Verdict: throw it out
Bulging or leaking can
A swollen lid, a leaking seam, or sauce that spurts out when you open the can. Clemson Cooperative Extension names each of these as a sign of spoilage. So do not taste it, and throw out the whole can.
Verdict: throw it out
Fizzy or fermented cranberry sauce
Bubbles in the sauce, a sharp, boozy or sour smell, or a fizz on the tongue. These are signs of spoilage, so stop there. In fact, Clemson Cooperative Extension says to discard stored food with an off odor.
Verdict: throw it out
Moldy cranberry sauce
Fuzzy white, grey or green spots on the surface. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to discard moldy jams and jellies, because the mold could be producing a mycotoxin, and microbiologists advise against scooping it out. So treat cranberry sauce the same way, and throw out the whole bowl.
Can you scrape mold off cranberry sauce?
No. For jams and jellies, the closest match, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says microbiologists recommend against scooping out the mold and using the rest. That is because the mold could be producing a mycotoxin. So throw out the whole container.
How long cranberry sauce keeps, by type
The clock depends on the kind of sauce and whether it is open. So here is each case.
Substitute
Works best in
What changes
Homemade, in the fridge
7 to 10 days
Covered (USDA FoodKeeper).
Canned, opened, in the fridge
1 to 2 weeks
In a covered container (USDA FoodKeeper).
Canned, unopened
2 years
Cool, dry pantry (USDA FoodKeeper).
Frozen
Not recommended
May turn watery (USDA FoodKeeper).
Mistakes people make when they store cranberry sauce
These are the ways cranberry sauce goes wrong most often, and each one is easy to fix.
Keeping opened sauce in the can. Move it to a covered container instead.
Leaving the bowl out after dinner. Two hours, then back in the fridge.
Freezing a big batch. FoodKeeper says it may turn watery, so make only what you need.
Double-dipping serving spoons. Use a clean spoon each time.
Opening a bulging can. Clemson says that is a sign of spoilage, so bin it.
Scooping out mold. FSIS advises against it for jams and jellies, so bin it.
Forgetting the date on homemade sauce. Label it on the day you make it.
Sources
FoodKeeper App, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, whose published FoodKeeper data lists homemade cranberry sauce at 7 to 10 days refrigerated, canned cranberry sauce at 2 years in the pantry and 1 to 2 weeks refrigerated after opening, freezing as not recommended because it may become too watery, and fresh cranberries at 2 months refrigerated and 12 months frozen.
Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, on discarding moldy jams and jellies because the mold could be producing a mycotoxin, and microbiologists advising against scooping it out.
Safety of Stored Foods, Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center fact sheet HGIC 3520, revised April 2020, on a bulging lid or leaking can being a sign of spoilage, checking for spurting liquid, an off odor or mold on opening, and discarding stored food with an off odor.
Leftovers and Food Safety, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, on refrigerating leftovers within 2 hours.
Storage times and safety advice on this page come from the sources above. Food safety depends on conditions I cannot see, so read the Disclaimer, and if in doubt, throw it out.
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