BLOOD ORANGE and MEYER LEMON MARMALADE
Makes approx 10 8 oz jars
This is a 2 day process.. though if you find you’re busy you may drag it out longer.
2 lbs organic Meyer lemons
4 lbs organic Blood oranges
4 1/2 lbs organic sugar
5 oz fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 tsp salt (optional)
Part one:
Begin by scrubbing the oranges and lemons in warm water, set aside. (OR skip this step. When you get to boiling the halved and sliced fruit do a pre- boil for 5 minutes, drain the fruit, add fresh water and continue with recipe. I prefer not to do this).
Halve 1 pound of lemons and 1 pound of oranges, cut each half into quarters, then slice those into thin pieces crosswise, so you have tiny thin triangles of fruit.(sorry I didn’t take a photo!). Place these in a pot large enough to contain them, fill with water just to cover fruit, place lid on, set aside.
Halve and juice the remaining oranges and lemons, collecting all the rinds into a stock pot. Reserve 5 oz of the meyer lemon juice separately, combine the rest with the blood orange juice. Refrigerate both.
Cover the rinds in the stock pot with water, lid it and set on the stove over medium heat (this is where you might do the pre-boil for both the halves and slices).
Place the sliced lemons and oranges over medium heat as well. Bring both to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 2 hours. Turn the heat off under the slices but NOT the halves. Continue to boil the halves until they are very tender but not falling apart, another 30 -60 minutes.
Remove halves from heat, let cool for an hour. Using a large mesh strainer or colander lined with cheesecloth suspended OVER a bowl, pour out the citrus halves and their liquid, letting the rinds catch in the strainer, do NOT press on the rinds, just let them drip. Cover this with plastic or clean kitchen towels and let rest over night (no need to refrigerate, you will be boiling the dickens out of all the fruit).
I have often skipped a day here when I find I’m too busy to tend to cooking marmalade. To do this follow the first step in part 2, placing all the liquids and slices into a pot or container with a tight fitting lid, bring to a rolling boil, the turn heat off and let sit. Place the rinds in the refrigerator).
Part two:
Setting aside the rinds, pour the liquid from the rinds and all the sliced citrus and their liquid into the jam pot you will be using.
Holding a rind half in your palm, carefully scoop the white pith and membranes out, leaving a pretty shell of orange or yellow, set these aside, discard the pith. Scoop halves until you have how much you would like. Slice these scooped citrus halves into thirds or quarters and slice again crosswise so you have thin pieces of rind (you may leave some thick if you like).
Add the sliced rinds, the sugar, all the reserved juices to your jam pot, turn the heat on high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently so the sugars dissolve before burning. Turn the heat to medium-high, keep this at a good boil the entire cooking process. Once the sugars have dissolved it is not necessary to continually stir, but do pay attention to it, giving it a good swipe through now and then so it doesn't burn.
Place a small plate with 4 spoons on it in your freezer, to test the jelly set. Prepare your jars for canning.
Since marmalade is fruit suspended in jelly, a jelly with out added pectin, the cooking time is longer than jam and will be determined by the amount of water in your fruit. The thickening and setting process is basically water boiling out and sugar reacting with the natural pectin in the fruit and the added acid of lemon juice. Gosh, science like this is so much fun! This is all to say I can’t give you an exact idea of how long this will take, at least 40 minutes. Stand watch, stirring occasionally, until the marmalade has cooked by a quarter and begins to thicken.
Once the marmalade has cooked down/ thickened up start checking for set. Do this first by scooping a small amount onto a large stainless spoon, hold the spoon sideways over your kitchen sink (away from the stove heat) letting the jelly fall off. If it is thick, leaving drops of jelly on the edge of the spoon then you can do the freezer test: turn heat off under marmalade, using a non frozen spoon scoop a small amount onto a frozen spoon, replace that into the freezer for a few minutes, then remove. Push the cooled (not cold) marmalade with your finger, if it wrinkles up, has some little bubbles suspended in it, then it’s set. The marmalade, off heat, should appear shiny and slightly gelled on top with small bubbles suspended in it. If not, return to boil, stirring, for a few more minutes and repeat the freezer test, turn the heat off under the jelly.
Once your marmalade is set, jar it up! (Remember to wipe the rims of your jars before placing lids on). Water bath or oven can according to your preference.
