Mushroom Free Orange Marmalade
Bright, bittersweet, and deeply aromatic, this classic citrus preserve is built entirely from oranges, lemons, water, and sugar — nothing more, nothing less. The technique leans on the natural pectin locked inside the pith and seeds, bundled in cheesecloth and coaxed into the liquid during a long, slow simmer, so there's no need for commercial pectin or any additives. What you get is a glossy, amber spread with tender ribbons of peel suspended in a soft, trembling gel that tastes like sunshine on toast. The frozen-plate set test takes all the guesswork out of knowing when you've hit that perfect consistency, and the boiling-water bath means your jars will keep shelf-stable for months. It's the kind of project that fills your kitchen with an incredible citrus fragrance and rewards your patience with something genuinely better than anything you'd find at the grocery store. Spread it thick on buttered toast, swirl it into yogurt, or use it as a glaze — the possibilities are as satisfying as the process itself.
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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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