Start with the cranberries. Pour a 12-ounce bag into a fine mesh strainer and rinse them, then pick out any that don’t look too great, or pour them into a large bowl, fill with water, and do the same. If you prefer a cranberry sauce with a little more texture and whole cranberries, reserve at least a ½ cup of cranberries for later.

Zest the whole orange and set a teaspoon of the zest aside, reserving any extra for garnish. Slice the orange in half and juice it until you have a ¼ cup. Add the ¾ cup water and ¼ cup orange juice to a medium saucepan or pot and place over medium-high heat. Add the ½ cup white and ¼ cup brown sugar and stir until dissolved.

Once the sugar has dissolved, add the cranberries, even if the liquid hasn’t come to a boil. Keep the heat high until the liquid begins to boil. Once the liquid starts a low boil, add the teaspoon of orange zest, cinnamon stick, and a pinch of salt, stir together, then turn down the heat to a simmer.

Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally and pressing cranberries against the sides of the saucepan if they haven’t burst. When most of the cranberries have burst, and the sauce is starting to thicken, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the reserved cranberries.

Remove the cinnamon stick and transfer the hot cranberry sauce to a serving bowl and garnish with any extra orange zest. As the sauce cools, it will thicken a lot more. Serve warm or at room temperature with the meal.