Orange Marmalade
The year of canning usually comes to a close in my kitchen when fresh navel oranges are in season. I take out the canning pot one last time so that I can make at least one batch of delicious, tangy marmalade. It's rich in colour and flavour, excellent spread on freshly baked biscuits or fantastic used as a filling for tarts. There is no other preserve quite like it. So, take a break from baking Christmas cookies this December and make some marmalade. Add it to the list of delicious gifts you can make for your family and friends!
YIELD : 6-250 ml jars
WATER BATH PROCESSING TIME: 5 minutes
Equipment
- canning pot
- wire basket or tray for the bottom of the canning pot
- jar lift
- magnetic wand for lid placement
- 6-250 ml sterilized jars with lids and rings
- 8-litre pot
- funnel
- strainer
Ingredients
- 4½ pounds navel oranges washed and scrubbed, I always use organic.
- 2 lemons washed and scrubbed, I always use organic. Also if they are small I use 4 lemons
- â…“ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice strained
- 3 cups sugar
Instructions
- Use a vegetable peeler to take off the peel of the navel oranges, leaving behind as much pith as possible. Cut the peel into thin julienne strips. You should end up with 2 cups.
- Over a strainer set over a pot, segment the oranges, then slice each membrane and remove the flesh. (Or watch the video below to see a quicker way to cut out the flesh. )The bowl will accumulate some orange juice. Set all of the membranes and seeds aside. Pour the juice into a 4-cup measure and set aside.
- Put the orange flesh and the strips of peel into an 8-litre pot.
- To the reserved orange juice, add water until you get 4 cups total. Pour into the 8-litre pot.
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove the lemon peels. Cut the peel into thin julienne strips and add them to the 8-litre pot.
- Add the strained freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Segment the lemons and remove the flesh and add it to the 8-litre pot. Reserve the membranes and seeds.
- Put all the membranes and seeds into a cheesecloth bag that has 4 layers. Add to the pot.
- Bring the contents of the pot to a boil over high heat. Then lower the temperature to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
- Take the pot off the heat.
- Remove the cheesecloth bag and cool until you can handle it (about 15 minutes). When cool, squeeze out as much liquid as you can back into the pot. Discard the bag.
- Turn the heat back on the pot and add the sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce to medium-high heat and cook for 25-35 minutes or until the gel point is reached (registers 220°F on a candy thermometer).
- Ladle the marmalade into hot sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Run a sterilized knife or spoon through the preserve to remove air bubbles. Top each jar with a washed and briefly warmed snap lid. (I put the snap lid in boiling hot water for 30 seconds, this softens the seal.) Add the sterilized ring and tighten to finger tip tightness. Process using the boiling water method in a canning pot for 5 minutes.
- Remove the jars from the canning pot and cool on a board or metal rack. Don't disturb for 24 hours.
- Remove the rings and inspect the jars. If some of the liquid has leaked out onto the jars, wipe them clean with a soapy cloth. Store the marmalade without the rings on in a dark cool place for up to a year.
- Store jars that don't seal in the fridge and use immediately.
Notes
This preserve may appear runny the first day it is made. It will firm up after it sits for a couple of days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 35kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 39mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 53IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!