Beef Free Orange Marmalade
Bright, bittersweet, and deeply aromatic, this classic citrus preserve is built entirely from oranges, lemons, water, and sugar — nothing more, nothing less. The technique here is genuinely satisfying to work through: you coax natural pectin from the pith using a cheesecloth bundle, which means no store-bought pectin packets are needed and the set comes entirely from the fruit itself. Slicing the peel into thin strips gives every jar that gorgeous, jewel-like appearance that makes homemade marmalade look almost too pretty to open. The frozen-plate set test is a small but brilliant trick that takes all the guesswork out of knowing when you've hit the perfect consistency. Once you've gone through the boiling-water bath process, you'll have shelf-stable jars ready to gift, hoard, or spread generously over thick toast for months to come. This is the kind of recipe that turns a quiet weekend morning into something that feels genuinely productive and a little bit special.
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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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