Making Jam: Citrus Marmalade

Jam goes really well with homemade bread so I decided to share my experiences making jam.

So far, I’ve enjoyed this Citrus Marmalade on multigrain bread, light wheat bread, rye bread, challah and any other homemade bread I can get my hands on. I can’t seem to get enough of it for some reason.

I ate almost a whole jar by myself! The funny thing is, I don’t normally like marmalade, but this one is that good!

My taste tester loved it! Of course, he says that about everything I make. I’ve trained him well.

The first time I made this marmalade I followed the recipe, but I thought it was a bit too sweet and needed just a tad more citrus flavor.

For this version, I used a whole grapefruit rather than just the half of grapefruit. However, I only used half of the zest from the grapefruit so the flavor wouldn’t be overwhelming.  I really liked the results and so did my taste tester.

Ingredients:

• 4 navel oranges (or Valencia oranges)
• 1 lemon
• 1 pink grapefruit
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 5 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 box (1.75 ounces) Sure-Jell fruit pectin*

Equipment needed: funnel, jar gripper and magnet tool to lift the lids.

Preparation for Water Bath Canning:

Sterilize the canning jars and prepare two-piece canning lids according to manufacturer’s directions.  Put the lids in hot but not boiling water to help set the seals.

The National Center for Home Preservation has a lot of useful resources to assist you in proper canning techniques.  Here is a good resource for learning about Sterilization of Empty Jars.

Directions:

Use a vegetable peeler to remove the colored zest from the fruit and discard the white pith.*

* You can make this marmalade without adding the box of pectin by including some of the white membrane found just under the skin when you peel the fruits. This is where most of the pectin is located.

Chop the zest coarsely.  As I mentioned, I only used half of the zest from the grapefruit.

Chop the fruit, discarding any seeds and reserving the juice.  Place the zests, water, and baking soda into a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add fruit and juice; simmer another 10 minutes.

Measure the sugar and set aside.  Note: Do not reduce the amount of sugar or the marmalade may not set properly.

Stir the box of pectin into the fruit mixture.  Bring to a full, rolling boil.  Stir in the sugar until it is dissolved into the fruit and pectin mixture.

Return to a full rolling boil, and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and skim off any foam.

Use the jar lifter to lift the sterilized jars from the hot water.  Place the jars one at a time on a towel covered baking sheet.  Place the funnel in the jar.

Ladle the hot marmalade into the sterilized canning jars quickly. Fill to within 1/8 inch of tops. I used decorative half-pint size jelly jars.  After you fill all of the jars with the marmalade, wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean cloth.

Use the magnet tool to lift the jar lids out of the hot water.  Place the lids squarely on the jars.

Then screw the bands on tightly but not too tightly.  Use the jar lifter to lift the hot jars from the counter.

And, place the jars on elevated rack in the canner.  Be careful!  The jars and the water are very hot!   The water should cover the jars by 1 to 2 inches.  Add boiling water if necessary.  I had to add additional water to cover the tops of the jars.

Bring water to a gentle boil and process the jars 10 minutes (according to the altitude chart provided with the instructions in the Sure-Jell pectin box).*  For more detailed instructions, refer to this site National Center for Home Preservation.

* If you prefer, you can refrigerate the jars instead of processing them in a water bath.  Just be sure to use within 2 months.  The marmalade can also be frozen, without canning, for up to 1 year.

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

Canning Resources:

Here are some of the sites I’ve been using as a reference in my canning adventures.  You might enjoy them as well:

• Canning Across America
• Well Preserved
• National Center for Home Preservation

I’ve also enjoyed using the resources in the book: Keeping The Harvest: Discover the Homegrown Goodness of Putting Up Your Own Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs by Nancy Chioff & Gretchen Mead.

 

Here is the Citrus Marmalade all ready for the virtual jam swap.  

Happy Canning!

Cathy