Capsaicin Free Orange Marmalade
Bright, bittersweet, and deeply aromatic, this classic citrus preserve is everything a great marmalade should be — glossy, jewel-toned, and packed with tender strips of orange and lemon peel suspended in a silky, naturally set gel. The entire recipe relies on just four simple ingredients: fresh citrus, water, and sugar, with zero heat-building spices or additives to worry about. That makes it a genuinely safe and satisfying choice for anyone managing sensitivity to capsaicin, since so many store-bought jams and specialty preserves can sneak in unexpected ingredients. The technique here is straightforward but rewarding — a cheesecloth bundle captures the natural pectin from the pith and seeds, so the marmalade sets beautifully without any commercial pectin. A candy thermometer and the classic frozen-plate wrinkle test take the guesswork out of knowing exactly when you've hit the perfect consistency. The result is a batch of six half-pint jars that are shelf-stable and ready to brighten up toast, scones, or a cheese board for weeks to come. Once you've made your own, it's genuinely hard to go back to anything from a grocery store shelf.
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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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