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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Orange Marmalade



Updated February 2021

Marmalade is a fruit preserve often made from citrus fruit like oranges. The modern definition of marmalade is a transparent fruit spread made by boiling citrus, water, and sugar together, including the peel. 


Marmalade is typically used as a sweet condiment for toast, biscuits, scones, croissants, and other baked goods. It can also be used as a sweet, fruity addition to cakes or in savory applications as a glaze for meats or vegetables.


I personally love that citrus fruit is in season during the winter months, when everything else is rather gray and dreary; it's a nice little "pick me up."

RECIPE

Ingredients
1 bag oranges (10 medium size or one-5 lb. bag Cuties or Halo mandarin oranges)
6 cups sugar
Thinly cut reserved rind from oranges to equal 2 cups
1 tbsp. butter (to prevent foaming)

Method
Peel oranges (reserving rind), and remove any seeds if necessary. Place peeled oranges in a large stock pot with a small amount of water (approx. 2 cups - you may need to add more as they cook). Cover pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook, stirring frequently, until oranges are soft and fall apart.

While the oranges are cooking, place the 2 cups of thinly cut rind into a small saucepan; add water and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes or until rinds are soft. Turn off heat and let sit while you finish the oranges.


Once the oranges are soft, remove from heat and mash (in the same pan) just a bit, removing any tough pieces remaining.

Return stock pot with mashed oranges to your stove top and add 1 cup of sugar for every cup of mashed oranges (I used 6 cups of sugar). Add 1 tbsp. butter to mixture, drained rind pieces, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Cook, stirring frequently, until digital thermometer reads 220 degrees (approx. 30 minutes). Remove from heat, ladle marmalade into canning jars, cover with seals and rings and process in boiling water bath or steam canner 15 minutes.

Remove jars from water bath or steam canner and let cool on a kitchen towel on your counter-top 24 hours undisturbed. Marmalade will thicken as it cools. Store in pantry up to one year. Opened jars must be refrigerated.


Yield:  4 pint jars


Tip: grind the remaining orange rinds in a food processor, place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and place in a 170 degree oven for approx. 2 hours, stirring from time to time. Allow to cool and store in small mason jars. Use zest as you would with any recipe calling for citrus zest. The shelf life is approx. one year stored in a cool dark place. 1 tsp. dried zest = t tsp. store-bought zest.


Enjoy,
Mary

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