Barley Free Orange Marmalade
Bright, bittersweet, and deeply aromatic, this classic citrus preserve is the kind of thing that makes a plain piece of toast feel like a proper occasion. It comes together with just four ingredients — fresh oranges, lemons, water, and sugar — so there's nothing hidden in the mix and no reason to second-guess the label. The technique here is genuinely satisfying: you coax natural pectin from the pith using a cheesecloth bundle, which means the marmalade sets beautifully without any added thickeners or grain-derived ingredients. That matters a lot when store-bought spreads and preserves can sneak in unexpected additives that don't belong on a restricted pantry shelf. The frozen-plate set test is a clever old-school trick that takes the guesswork out of knowing when you've hit the perfect gel. Once you ladle it into jars and hear those lids pop as they seal, you'll have a pantry staple that keeps for months and tastes far better than anything you'd find at the grocery store.
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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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