Brazil Nut Free Orange Marmalade
Bright, bittersweet, and deeply aromatic, this homemade citrus preserve is the kind of thing that makes a plain piece of toast feel like a special occasion. The recipe relies on just four wholesome ingredients — fresh oranges, lemons, water, and sugar — so there's no guesswork about what's actually in the jar. Store-bought spreads can be a minefield of ambiguous "natural flavors" and shared production lines, but making your own means you control every single step from fruit to seal. The technique here is genuinely clever: pith and seeds get bundled into cheesecloth and simmered alongside the peel, releasing all the natural pectin you need for a gorgeous, glossy set without any additives. A frozen-plate test takes the mystery out of the process, so you'll know exactly when the marmalade is ready to jar. The result is a vibrant, jewel-toned preserve with tender peel and that perfect balance of sweet and tangy that only real citrus can deliver. Fill your pantry shelf or gift a jar — either way, this is one of those recipes you'll come back to every season.
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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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