Coconut 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. It's built entirely from oranges, lemons, water, and sugar — nothing more — so anyone navigating hidden tropical ingredients in store-bought spreads can finally relax and reach for the jar with confidence. The technique here is old-school and genuinely satisfying: the pith and seeds get bundled into cheesecloth to release their natural pectin, which means the marmalade sets beautifully without any additives or shortcuts. Slicing the peel into thin strips and simmering them until translucent gives the finished preserve that gorgeous jewel-like quality you see in artisan jars, but made entirely in your own kitchen. The frozen-plate set test takes the guesswork out of knowing when you're done, and the boiling-water bath means you'll have shelf-stable jars ready to gift or hoard for months. Spread it thick on buttered toast, swirl it into yogurt, or use it as a glaze — the sharp citrus bite balanced against that silky sweetness is genuinely hard to stop eating.
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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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