Marmalade – “How To Make” Recipe From The Jam Jar Shop

Recipe Ingredients

• 3lbs/1.5kg Seville Oranges
• 2 large Lemons
• 6 pints/3.6 litres of Water
• 6lbs/3kg of Sugar

Recipe Equipment

• Large preserving pan
• Wooden spoon
• Jam jars (10-15 depending on size) - We recommend a pack of 16oz Jars
• Muslin cloth
• Cellophane covers & waxed discs
• Wooden board
• Bathroom scales
• 4 small plates
• A length of string approx 1 metre
• Large bowl
• Sharp knife

HOW TO MAKE MARMALADE 

1. First weigh the oranges and then wash, together with the lemons, in warm water, giving the fruit a good scrub to remove any waxy coating, dust etc.
2. Place fruit in a large pan with the water, place on heat and bring to boil.
3. Cover pan if possible and reduce to a gentle boil/simmer and cook for about 2 hours.
4. When the fruit is cooked it will look an odd shape and be quite soft. Lift out onto a plate with a slotted spoon - retain all cooking liquids and juice.
5. Leave until cool enough to handle.
6. Place the small plates in the fridge.
7. Wash and rinse jars and stand upside down in a warm oven to dry and sterilise
8. Place the wooden board onto the bathroom scales and place the empty preserving pan - that you intend to make the marmalade in - onto the board.
9. Record the combined weight of the pan and the board.
10. Place the square of muslin over the large bowl and have the length of string nearby.
11. Cut the cooled fruit in half over a large plate to catch the juices.
12. Using a teaspoon, scoop the flesh and the pips from the halved fruit, out of the skins into the muslin, reserving the peel.
13. Pour any juice from the plate into the preserving pan.
14. Add the cooking liquid to the preserving pan
15. Cut each piece of peel - oranges and lemons - into three lengthways, and then slice across into the size of shreds you prefer. Add all of the shredded peel to the liquid in the pan.
16. Follow the instructions for tying up the muslin bag - and add the bag to the pan, looping the string around the handle.
17. Place pan on heat and bring to boil. Cook for about 10-15 mins then carefully remove muslin bag, by the string loop, and leave on a large plate to cool.
18. Continue cooking until the contents of the pan have reduced by about a third. You need to weigh the hot pan, with it’s contents, on the bathroom scales again - hence the wooden board!
19. Be very careful lifting the pan and keep children and animals out of the way.
20. Record the total weight and take the first weight you recorded from the second weight. This will give you the weight of the contents which need to be roughly 41/2lbs or 2.25kg.
21. If too heavy, return the pan to the heat and cook for a bit longer.
22. When the correct weight is achieved turn off the heat and add the sugar - stir to make sure that it is all dissolved. If it still feels ‘gritty’ stir some more!
23. Bring back to the boil and boil as hard as possible without letting it boil over!
24. Squeeze the muslin bag over the plate to extract as much juice as possible from the pips and the flesh.
25. Discard the bag and it’s contents and add the juice to the pan.
26. After about 20-30mins the colour will have darkened and the consistency will be thicker. I am afraid that judging when marmalade might set needs to come from experience but we all need to start somewhere!
27. Put a little onto one of the chilled plates and replace in the fridge. Turn off the heat in the meantime.
28. After 5-10mins test for a set by pushing the edge of the marmalade - if it ‘crinkles’ the marmalade is ready. (You can use a jam thermometer, but I have no experience of this . . . )
29. If there isn’t a set, turn on the heat again, boil for a further 10 mins and then repeat the test.
30. Leave the marmalade in the pan for about 15-20 mins, before potting, so that the peel is evenly distributed throughout the jars. If you pour into the jars too quickly the peel will all rise to the top.
31. Take the jars from the oven - carefully - protecting your hands. Allow them to cool very slightly - the jam will bubble in the jars if they are very hot.
32. Fill almost to the top and screw on the lids immediately.
33. If you seal while the contents and jars are hot a vacuum will form as the jars cool which will help to keep the contents airtight and fresh, often for several years, ( if your lovely marmalade lasts that long! ).
34. If you are using the cellophane covers use the waxed discs provided before applying the covers, which will help to prevent evaporation of the contents.
35. Leave undisturbed overnight to cool and set.