Tree Nut Free Orange Marmalade
Bright, bittersweet, and deeply aromatic, this classic citrus preserve is the kind of thing that turns an ordinary piece of toast into something worth waking up for. The recipe relies on just four ingredients — oranges, lemons, water, and sugar — so there's nothing hidden, nothing processed, and absolutely no risk of sneaky additives that can make store-bought jams a gamble for people with specific dietary needs. The technique is straightforward but genuinely satisfying: the natural pectin locked inside the pith and seeds does all the setting work, so no commercial pectin is needed. Slicing the peel into thin strips gives you that gorgeous, jewel-like texture suspended in a glossy amber gel, and the frozen-plate set test takes all the guesswork out of knowing when you're done. Boiling-water bath processing means you'll end up with shelf-stable jars ready to gift, hoard, or both. Once you've made a batch from scratch, the jarred stuff at the grocery store really doesn't stand a chance.
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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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