Jiggle the container. Fresh cranberry sauce is either a solid, jiggly block (hello, can-shaped) or a chunky compote. Bad sauce becomes runny or separated, with a watery layer on top that looks like sad tears.
If you see syneresis (fancy science word for “water bleeding out”), that’s a sign the structure is collapsing. It’s not automatically spoiled, but it’s on the clock. If it also smells weird, it’s time for the trash can.
And if you touch it and it feels slimy—like a slug wearing a raincoat—do not eat it. That sliminess is a bacterial party, and you are not on the guest list.
