Low Iodine Orange Marmalade
Bright, bittersweet, and deeply satisfying, this homemade citrus preserve is built from just four clean ingredients — fresh oranges, lemons, water, and granulated sugar — making it a naturally smart choice for anyone navigating iodine restrictions. Store-bought jams and preserves can be a minefield of additives and mystery ingredients, but when you make your own, you know exactly what's in every jar. The technique here is classic and rewarding: slow-simmered peel, a cheesecloth bundle that coaxes out natural pectin, and a hard boil to that satisfying 220°F set point. That frozen-plate wrinkle test is genuinely one of the most gratifying moments in home preserving — a little science experiment that tells you the gel is ready. The result is glossy, jewel-toned marmalade with tender strips of peel suspended throughout, equally at home on morning toast or stirred into a glaze. A batch fills about six half-pint jars, so you'll have plenty to stock the pantry or share with someone who deserves a beautiful homemade gift.
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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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