Low Sodium Orange Marmalade
Bright, bittersweet, and deeply aromatic, this citrus preserve captures everything that makes homemade marmalade worth the effort — glossy ribbons of tender peel suspended in a jewel-toned gel that no store jar can quite replicate. The recipe relies entirely on the natural pectin locked inside the orange and lemon pith, which gets bundled into cheesecloth and coaxed into the liquid during a long, slow simmer, so there's no need for any packaged pectin or additives to achieve a beautiful set. Because the only ingredients are fresh citrus, water, and sugar, you have complete control over what goes into every jar — no preservatives, no flavor enhancers, nothing hidden on a label. The frozen-plate wrinkle test takes the guesswork out of knowing when you've hit the setting point, making this approachable even if you've never made preserves before. Properly processed in a boiling-water bath, the sealed jars will keep on your pantry shelf for months, ready to brighten a piece of toast, glaze a roast, or stir into a vinaigrette whenever the mood strikes. It's the kind of project that fills your kitchen with an incredible citrus fragrance and leaves you with a row of gorgeous jars you'll actually be proud to give away.
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Learn more →Ingredients
48 servings
- 2 lbs navel or seville oranges (about 4 medium), scrubbed
- 2 lemons, scrubbed
- 8 cups water
- 6 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- 1
Halve all the oranges and lemons. Squeeze the juice from each half into a large heavy-bottomed pot (at least 8-quart), catching the seeds and any loose pulp in a fine-mesh strainer set over the pot. Transfer the seeds and strained pulp to a double layer of cheesecloth; set the squeezed halves aside.
- 2
Using a spoon, scrape the white pith and any remaining pulp from the inside of each squeezed orange and lemon half and add it to the cheesecloth bundle — this pith is rich in natural pectin and is essential for the set. Tie the cheesecloth into a secure bundle with kitchen twine, leaving a long tail to tie to the pot handle.
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