Chew on This | Marmalade

I had my first go at making marmalade yesterday. It seemed like the right thing to do. I had purchased some oranges because they are delicious and they were on special for .50 a pound. So I went a little bit crazy. Which led to a lot of oranges waiting to be eaten. Waiting and waiting.

Not wanting to waste wonderful fruit, I struck on the idea of canning some marmalade. The recipe(s) I found fit into my need for a slow approach. Also known as, I didn't want to feel overwhelmed by slicing, dicing, cooking, cooking, boiling, boiling and cleaning up. So I adapted two recipes from Ina and Alton and made some totally lovely marmalade.

Which was good because over the two day process (yikes, don't get alarmed, it's so very relaxed), I was also nursing a sweet, and sometimes cranky, little person who felt yucky and kept spiking a fever every 8 hours.

So, Monday I chopped and chopped. Boiled, stirred, boiled, stirred. Added sugar, covered and let the mixture stand overnight.

Whew, that wasn't so hard.

Tuesday I simmered, boiled and boiled. And boiled. 

And presto! Marmalade!

Good times and delicious marmalade!

Cares

Here's the recipe:

Marmalade

(adapted from Ina Garten and Alton Brown)

5-7 medium oranges, skins washed clean

8 C water

8 C granulated sugar

4-5 (8 ounce)

canning jars, lids and rings

canning funnel

ladle

large (12 quart) pot (used for sterilizing jars, lids, rings and for processing the marmalade)

canning rack and tongs

To begin, slice your oranges in 1/8" slices using a sharp knife or mandoline and discarding the seeds as you go. Quarter your slices and place them into a large, stainless steel pot. Add the water into the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir often. Boil for ten minutes and then remove the pot from the heat. Add your sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Cover your pot and allow for it to stand overnight at room temperature.

The next day, bring your mixture back to a boil. Turn down the heat and allow the mixture to come to a rapid simmer for about 2 hours. Bring the mixture back up to a gentle boil for another 30 minutes-1 hour. The marmalade should cook until it reaches 220℉. Yet, it may not yet be ready to can. To ensure the mixture is ready, place a small dish into the refrigerator to chill. Once chilled, dollop a small spoonful of the mixture onto the plate. Allow it to sit for 30 seconds and then tilt the plate. The mixture should not be runny and should gel slightly. If the mixture is runny, keep cooking! Continue to do this chilled plate test exercise every ten to fifteen minutes until you reach perfection.

While you are simmering/boiling your marmalade you can also be preparing your canning jars, rings, and lids. Place your jars and rings into a very large pot full of water and boil for ten minutes. Turn of the heat and add your lids to the pot. Leave everything in the pot until the marmalade is ready.

When the marmalade is ready, remove the jars, lids and rings from the other pot. Drain on a clean cloth. Funnel your marmalade into the jars, leaving a 1/4" head space (depending on the size of your oranges, you may get four or five full jars). Make sure to wipe the rims clean. Place lids onto each jar and then the rings, gently tighten (not too tight). 

Using your canning tongs, place the canning rack into your large pot that is full of warm water. Turn up the heat and get the water boiling. Once the water is boiling, place the jars into the canning rack and ensure that there is enough water to cover the jars by 1", add more water if necessary. Boil (process) the jars for 10 minutes. Use your canning tongs to remove the processed jars from the water and place them onto a towel on the counter to seal (jars are sealed when you hear the "pop" of the lid). Allow the jars to cool for 24 hours before opening or storing away for later use. Refrigerate your marmalade after opening. Unopened marmalade should last 12 months.