Citric Acid Free Orange Marmalade
Bright, bittersweet, and deeply aromatic, this homemade marmalade captures everything you love about the classic spread — glossy ribbons of peel suspended in a jewel-toned gel that tastes like sunshine on toast. For anyone avoiding added citric acid, store-bought preserves can be a minefield, since the ingredient often appears as a preservative or pH adjuster in commercial jars without much fanfare. Here, the only ingredients are fresh oranges, lemons, water, and sugar — nothing hidden, nothing processed. The natural pectin comes entirely from the pith and seeds bundled into cheesecloth, so the marmalade sets beautifully without any additives or shortcuts. A candy thermometer and the classic frozen-plate wrinkle test take the guesswork out of hitting that perfect gel point, making this approachable even if you've never canned anything before. Processed in a boiling-water bath, the sealed jars are shelf-stable for months, giving you a pantry staple you can trust completely. Spread it thick on buttered toast, swirl it into yogurt, or use it as a glaze — however you use it, you made it and you know exactly what's in it.
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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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