Need some marmalade making assistance!
I'm living in South Australia right now, and there's a gorgeous orange tree in my backyard that's another week or so away from peak ripeness! (I moved from New York, so this is somewhat of a novelty for me.) I've made jam and preserves plenty of times, but never marmalade. I've been poking around the internet for recipes, but a lot are really confusing, with instructions for tying up the seeds in cheesecloth (??). Can someone give me a tried and true recipe for canning orange marmalade? I don't know what kind of oranges I have, but as an fyi, due to the drought, the skins are a bit thick, with quite a bit of pith.
Also, I was thinking of adding a bit of ginger for a little kick. Do you think I should chop in a bit of fresh ginger, microplane some in, or just boil the orange-sugar mixture with a good sized hunk of ginger, then take it out before canning? I just want to add a hint of ginger flavor...
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5 Comments:
I have not made marmalade in a while, but the recipe below is the one I used with good results. I have added ginger to mine, using strips of candied ginger added towards the end of the cooking, but that is probably more than you'd want since you said "a hint." I think I would use the microplane and simply add a tablespoon or so of ginger at the end of cooking so it keeps its fresh taste.
The pith- if you like bitter marmalade, you can probably use it all, but otherwise you might want to trim some of the pith from the peel.
6 large oranges
2 lemons (I think it includes lemons to increase the pectin content)
6 cups water
Sugar
Peel the oranges and lemons. Cut the peel into strips 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick depending on your own preference. Chop the flesh of the fruit, discarding any seeds.
Combine the fruit and peel with the water in a large pot; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Cover and let stand overnight at room temperature.
Next day, measure the contents and plan on 3/4 cup sugar for each cup of the mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil (no sugar yet) and boil until the peel is as tender as you want it. Add the sugar and continue to cook, stirring often to begin, and again as it is getting close to being done, for 30 minutes, or until it has reached the jellying point.
Pour into jars and seal as desired.
Makes 3 to 4 pints.
CatBoy at 11:01AM on 05/16/09
Here's a recipe I've had success with:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/anna-s-orange-marmalade-recipe/index.html
Mind the size of the shreds -- they'll be about the same after cooking.
If you don't have a thermometer, spoon a bit onto a chilled plate and refrigerate a minute, or so, until it's cold. Then push the marmalade with your finger, and it should wrinkle up as you push it.
The candied ginger suggested by CatBoy sounds like a delicious addition.
Channa at 12:40PM on 05/16/09
This is my British Grandmother's recipe for Marmalade - I have never used it, but remember how good it was. I am 63, so you can imagine how old this is! I shouldn't think that not using a Seville orange will make a difference.
MARMALADE (Mabel Annie)
1 ½ pound Seville oranges
1 lemon
4 cups water
3 pounds sugar
Put oranges and lemon into the water and bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 hours until tender. Leave to cool. Halve fruit, remove pips, slice fruit and mince rind. Return to water and add sugar. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar is melted. Continue to boil until set. If this recipe doubled, boil for 45 minutes or until 221 on candy thermometer.
bareneed at 2:50PM on 05/16/09
Seville oranges give the traditional bitter-sweet taste (if you've ever had Dundee's marmalade, you know what I mean), but I have never actually used them, and it's always been pretty good.
CatBoy at 7:32PM on 05/16/09
Both of the marmalades I've made (Meyer lemon-vanilla bean and blood orange) just called for thinly slicing the fruits and boiling in sugar and water. Both turned out really well and were very easy.
VerySmallAnna at 11:29PM on 05/18/09