Chunky Orange Marmalade

Orange marmalade. Love it. If I didn’t like cooking so much I’d probably eat marmalade and buttered toast at least twice a day – followed by a mug of Britain’s finest black tea steeped for ages and drowned in (soy) milk. So if like me – and my Dutch hubby no less – you have a passion for marmalade, making your own is worth the little effort it takes. Just be sure to cut the orange slices as thin as possible and be patient while it simmers.

To store home-made marmalade I usually use clean empty mayonnaise jars that come with metal lids. They generally create a good vacuum seal, but glass jars with a metal undamaged resealable lids should work too. (Of course, one can also use proper preserves jars.) Which ever way you go, as the marmalade cools a metal lid will become concave. Later, when ready to spread on toast, the jar should open by gentle force and give a soft pop sound as the vacuum is released. Then you know the seal worked.

When it doesn’t, yikes; if it’s been sitting in the pantry for a few months then better check the surface of the marmalade before sticking a spoon into it…

The volume of orange to sugar is about equal, so if you’re oranges are small, use two 🙂

Ingredients

1 large organic orange
130 g (â…” cup) sugar

Method

  • Sterilize a clean glass jar with metal screw-top lid (or a preserves jar) by submerging them in boiling water for ten minutes or; submerge the metal lid in boiling water and fill the glass jar a quarter-way up with water. Place the jar (but not the metal lid!) in the microwave for two minutes on high heat.
  • Scrub the outside of the orange.
  • Cut the whole orange in half, including the peel. Take out any pits, then cut the orange halves into half again. Cut together the peel and fruit segments into very thin slices.
  • Put the orange slices and sugar into a small heavy bottomed saucepan. Set over a low-medium flame. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring all the time to prevent burning until the sugar melts. When the sugar has melted, adjust the flame so that the marmalade keeps simmering but is not boiling too fiercely. Using a wooden spoon, stir across the bottom of the pan at short intervals.
  • When the sugar becomes thick and syrupy, turn off the flame.
  • Empty the sterilized jar, being careful not to burn yourself, put it on a tray and pour in the hot marmalade. (Place a metal spoon into the jar whilst filling to prevent it from breaking. The spoon will act as a heat shock absorber.)
  • Clean the rim of the jar before putting on the lid.
  • Using oven-mits or a tea towel to prevent burning yourself, screw the lid on tightly and turn the jar upside down on the tray. Leave to cool down.
  • Clean the outside of the jar, check the lid is concave, and store in a cool, dark place.
  • Unopened, it will keep for ages.

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