Chestnut 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. The recipe relies on just four ingredients — oranges, lemons, water, and sugar — so there's nothing hidden, nothing processed, and no reason to second-guess what's in the jar. The technique is genuinely satisfying to work through: you coax natural pectin from the pith and seeds using a cheesecloth bundle, which means the marmalade sets beautifully without any commercial additives. A candy thermometer and the frozen-plate wrinkle test take the guesswork out of knowing when you've hit that perfect, glossy gel. The finished marmalade has that signature balance of sweet and pleasantly bitter, with tender strips of peel suspended throughout. Processed in a boiling-water bath, the sealed jars are shelf-stable and make excellent gifts — or a very good reason to always have good bread on hand.
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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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