Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Bake

Fresh cranberry sauce simmering in a red pan on the hob

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Frozen cranberries for freshness and dried ones for a chewy sweetness, simmered with orange and light brown sugar until the berries pop and turn jammy. Mark makes it on the hob, or you can cook it in a skillet in the Charlie at 180°C (355°F) while the oven is lit for something else. It keeps well, so make it a day or two ahead.

Mark O'BrienChef
Bake
Prep10 minutes
Cook20 to 25 minutes
Serves8, with leftovers
DifficultyEasy
Oven temperature180°C (355°F)
RackMiddle rack
CharcoalNone on the hob. In the Charlie, cook it while the oven is lit for something else

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/blogs/charcoal-recipes/fresh-cranberry-sauce

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Ingredients

Equipment

Everything used in this recipe. Already have Charlie? Add the accessories in one go.

Method

Setting up Charlie

Light a small pyramid of charcoal in the centre of the grates with one or two natural firelighters. Close the door and open both vents fully. When the oven is about 10°C (20°F) short of 180°C (355°F), set both vents to the hold position, about 2.5 cm (1 in) open.

  1. Orange

    Zest and juice the oranges into a saucepan. Add a splash of water if the oranges aren't juicy.

  2. Add the rest

    Add the sugar and the dried and frozen cranberries.

  3. Cook

    Simmer gently on the hob, stirring now and then, until the frozen berries have softened and the dried ones have plumped up. Crush some of the berries with the spoon as they pop.

  4. Check it's ready

    It's ready when a spoon pulled through it leaves a trail that fills slowly. Taste and add more sugar if you like. Mark keeps it quite sharp.
    Check it's ready

  5. Cool and serve

    Take the pan off the heat. Allow to cool, then serve.

Tips

Make it a day or two ahead and keep it covered in the fridge.

Already have the Charlie lit? Cook it in a cast iron skillet on a rack at 180°C (355°F), stirring once or twice. Lift it out with oven gloves, as the handle gets very hot.

Part of Mark O'Brien's Christmas menu. Download the full plan, with the shopping list and the timings for Christmas Eve and the day itself.

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The cook

Mark O'Brien

Chef

Mark O’Brien was a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 and the first Irish chef to reach the final. After more than a decade in top London restaurants, he now runs Snake Oil Barbecue in Margate, bringing serious chef skills to his love of American BBQ and cooking over fire.

More recipes by Mark O'Brien

Frequently asked questions

  • Can I use fresh cranberries?

    Yes. Fresh cranberries work in place of frozen and may need a few minutes less.