how2heroes » Orange Marmalade

Techniques » Orange Marmalade

The aroma of jellies or jams wafting through a kitchen will warm the coldest of hearts. How can it not? Elizabeth Goldberg makes a textured marmalade with a few simple ingredients and the gift of time. The process takes awhile but yields a vibrant, chunky marmalade you'll find suits any breakfast or brunch item. And it doesn't hurt to just enjoy a spoonful by itself everything once in awhile. For medicinal purposes, of course.

Print Recipe

Makes 8 half-pint jars

Ingredients

6 cups seedless oranges, sliced & quartered
2 cups lemon slices, seeded
8 cups sugar
8 cups water

Equipment

4 pint or 8 half-pint mason jars with lids & bands
candy thermometer
water bath canner & jar lifter

How-to

Note: This recipe simply combines equal parts citrus, sugar and water. The recipe can be made with any kind of oranges and any ratio of oranges and lemons; ¾ oranges and ¼ lemons is a good place to start

Gather oranges and a lemon or two. Slice off the ends, cut in half lengthwise and slice thin. Cut smaller if desired. You will be eating these pieces on toast
Cover the citrus in a pot with the water. Bring to a boil having stirred the pot a few times. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar until it dissolves
Cover the pot and let it sit all day or overnight or even more if your life gets in the way
When you return to the pot, uncover it and bring the mixture to a boil again then simmer for 2-3 hours. The simmering evaporates the extra water. Turn the heat up a bit and boil for 30 minutes stirring frequently as marmalade starts to get thick. Check for gelled consistency by putting a small amount on a plate in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes. It should be firm. If it's too watery continue to boil. If it's too hard add more water
Crank up the heat at the end and boil for several minutes until the marmalade reaches 212º. This is the temperature that will poise your marmalade to be preserved. If you aren't concerned about shelf life, don't worry about the exact temperature and just boil (and stir) vigorously at the end
Ladle hot marmalade into hot sterilized jars leaving ¼" headspace if processing in water bath canner. Wipe the rim and threads and place lids on jars. Screw bands on gently and not too tight. Process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner or keep in fridge or enjoy immediately