Cranberry Sauce Is The Sweet Boost Your Turkey Club Deserves

One of the greatest flavor combos of Thanksgiving is undoubtedly a serving of freshly roasted turkey with a healthy spoonful of cranberry sauce. This sweet and savory pairing is an enduring classic of the harvest table, which can make you wonder why you don't enjoy it more often. Sure, in the days following Thanksgiving, you can make an epic leftover sandwich heaping with dressing, carved turkey, and cranberry sauce. But that's still a dish made in a time-sensitive window. What if you could bring this once-a-year treat to a dinner you can enjoy year-round? 

Enter the turkey club sandwich, an anytime meal ripe for a fruity twist. Pairing this traditional sandwich with a jammy spread of sweet-tart cranberry sauce transforms it into a delicious yet grown-up dish. Plus, this bit of cranberry sauce welcomes in other complimentary ingredients like slices of creamy brie, smokey bacon, caramelized onions, or even peppery arugula. So where should you begin in building this cranberry-punctuated turkey club?

You can select any base turkey club recipe you'd like, even one as simple as a turkey, mayonnaise, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and white bread combination. That being said, cranberry sauce would work well with plenty of other ingredients, like the aforementioned brie cheese. Consider adding in another cheese like cheddar, or in some fresh vegetables like cucumber, shredded Brussels sprouts, or sliced red onion. You can even play with the bread, opting for a hearty whole grain bread or a tangy sourdough for your bread bookends.

Now for the cranberry sauce element. Obviously, you can use a classic can of jellied cranberry sauce to pump up your turkey club, but if you want to take the fresher approach, you can make your own cranberry sauce. Just note that the texture of your fresh sauce will be a little chunkier and runnier than the canned version. For maximum flavorful impact, spread the cranberry sauce directly on the turkey, so you can really taste that classic sweet and savory combo. Once you start serving your turkey club with a helping of cranberry sauce, you'll never go back.