Orange Marmalade - easy

I went to the grocery store to get some orange marmalade to make orange glazed chicken.  I was shocked to see how much the good stuff cost!  A 12 oz. jar of a common (not the most expensive) brand was over $6!!

 

Seriously?!

 

I realize that I haven't shopped for jam or marmalade in a very long time, but...seriously!

 

Then I went to the produce section.  A 4 pound bag of oranges was only $1.50.  That's right, no more thinking of buying marmalade.

 

Homemade all the way.

 

This recipe made 7 half-pint jars.

 

It didn't cost $6 a jar, either.

 

 

Orange Marmalade

 

4 medium oranges, washed

2 medium lemons, washed

2 1/2 cups water

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 box low-sugar fruit pectin

1/2 teaspoon butter

5 1/2 cups sugar

 

Bring a large pot of water (you know, your canning pot) to a simmer.  Prepare your jars.  Pour boiling water over lids and let them stand in the hot water until ready to use.

 

Zest (remove the colored part of the peel) from your oranges and lemons.  Use a vegetable peeler or a zester.

Mix the peels, water and baking soda in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Enjoy the wonderful aroma wafting through your home.

 

While the peel is simmering, cut the white part off of the lemons and oranges.  Slice the fruit and chop into small pieces, removing any seeds you might come across. 

 

After the peel has simmered 20 minutes, add the fruit and juice to the pot.  Cover and simmer and additional 10 minutes.  You should have about 4 cups of fruit and juice.  I didn't take it out to measure, but it looked about right.

 

(Turn up the heat of your big pot of water to start it boiling.)

 

Stir pectin into the fruit in the large pot.  Add butter to reduce foaming.  Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil (that is a boil that you can't stir down) on high heat, stirring constantly.

 

Add the sugar all at once. (I like to pre-measure it in a separate bowl.)

Return to a full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.

 

Ladle the hot marmalade immediately into the prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top.

Wipe jar rims.

Cover with two-piece lids and screw the bands on.

 

Place the jars on an elevated rack in your canning pot with the boiling water.  The water needs to cover the jars by 1-2 inches.  Boil for 5 minutes. This is called processing.

Remove the jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely.

After the jars cool, check the lids by pressing the middle of the lid with your finger.  If the lid springs back, the lid did not seal and you need to put that jar in the refrigerator.  If they are sealed, keep them in your pantry.