Nitrate & Nitrite Free Orange Marmalade
Bright, bittersweet, and deeply citrusy, this homemade marmalade is the kind of preserve that makes even plain toast feel like a special occasion. It comes together with just four ingredients — fresh oranges, lemons, water, and sugar — so there's nothing hidden, nothing processed, and absolutely no cured-meat-style additives to worry about. That simplicity is exactly what makes it such a reliable choice for anyone keeping a close eye on what goes into their food. The technique leans on natural pectin drawn from the pith and seeds, bundled in cheesecloth and pressed into the pot, which means you get a beautiful, glossy set without any commercial additives. A candy thermometer and the classic frozen-plate wrinkle test take the guesswork out of knowing when you've hit the perfect gel. Once sealed in mason jars with a quick water-bath process, these jars are shelf-stable and ready to gift, spread, or stir into sauces whenever the mood strikes. It's old-fashioned preserving at its most satisfying, and every jar is something you made entirely from scratch.
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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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