Xanthan Gum Free Lemon Orange Marmalade
Bright citrus perfume fills the kitchen the moment this marmalade hits a rolling boil, and the finished result is the kind of jewel-toned spread that makes even plain toast feel like a treat. What makes this recipe especially clever is that it skips commercial thickeners entirely — the natural pectin locked inside the orange and lemon seeds and membranes does all the work, so there is no need for any powdered or gelled additives that could sneak in unwanted ingredients. Honey steps in as the sweetener, giving the marmalade a floral depth that plain sugar simply cannot match. The thin-sliced peel strips turn tender and translucent during the long simmer, so every spoonful has that satisfying bittersweet chew that defines a truly great marmalade. The frozen-plate set test is a low-tech but reliable way to know exactly when to pull the pot, no candy thermometer required. Once cooled and jarred, it keeps in the refrigerator and works beautifully on biscuits, stirred into yogurt, or glazed over roasted chicken.
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Learn more →Ingredients
32 servings
- 4 medium navel oranges (about 2 lb total)
- 1 medium lemon
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup honey
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Place a small plate in the freezer — you will use it later to test the set. Scrub the oranges and lemon under cold running water, then dry them.
- 2
Halve each orange and lemon. Squeeze the juice through a fine-mesh strainer into a large heavy-bottomed pot, catching and reserving the seeds and any loose membrane in the strainer. Collect the seeds and membrane in a small piece of cheesecloth or a tea strainer and set aside — they are rich in pectin and will be added to the pot.
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