Orange Marmalade is so delicious, who knew it could be so simple to make!

We absolutely love Orange Marmalade!  It’s great on toast, but it’s even better in recipes!  I love it on chicken breasts or as part of a sauce in a stir fry!  We had gotten a ton of oranges that a grocery store was about to toss and had to find something quick to do with them, so we decided to learn to can!

Know that I had never canned before, so if you have any doubts as to whether or not you can do it squish them now!  Anyone can make and can Orange Marmalade!

If you don’t want to can them, you could freeze it in either small, individual portions by first freezing it in ice trays, then transferring to baggies or simple store portions in a baggie until you are ready to use them.  Just remember to date and label!

Please Note: This is NOT MY RECIPE.  The Link to the original recipe is below the post!  Thanks!

I’d love to hear how you use orange marmalade!

Orange Marmalade

Ingredients:

1 3/4 pounds oranges, 4 to 5 medium
1 lemon, zest finely grated and juiced
6 cups water
3 pounds plus 12 ounces sugar
Special Equipment: 10 (8-ounce) canning jars with rings and lids, funnel, tongs, ladle, and 12-quart pot

Directions:

1. Wash the oranges and lemon thoroughly. Cut the oranges into 1/8-inch slices using a mandolin, removing the seeds as you go. Stack the orange slices and cut them into quarters. Place the oranges into an 8-quart stainless steel pot.
2. Add the lemon zest and juice and the water to the pot, set over high heat and bring to a boil, approximately 10 minutes. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 40 minutes or until the fruit is very soft.  As shown in picture
3. While the fruit is cooking, fill a large pot (at least 12-quart) 3/4 full with water, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Place 10 (8-ounce) jars and rings, canning funnel, ladle, and tongs into the boiling water and make sure the water covers the jars by at least an inch.
4. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the lids and leave everything in the pot until the marmalade is ready.
5. Meanwhile, place a small plate in the freezer. Increase the heat under the orange mixture to return to full boil. Add the sugar and stir the mixture continually, until it reaches 222 to 223 degrees F on a deep-fry or candy thermometer, and darkens in color, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. (shown in pictures 2 and 3)
6. You may need to adjust the heat in order to prevent boil over. Test the readiness of the marmalade by placing a teaspoon of the mixture onto the chilled plate and allowing it to sit for 30 seconds. Tilt the plate. The mixture should be a soft gel that moves slightly. If mixture is thin and runs easily, it is not ready.
7. Remove jars from the water and drain on a clean towel. Place a canning funnel onto the top of 1 of the jars and ladle in the marmalade just to below the bottom of the threads of the jar. Repeat until all of the mixture has been used. The amount of marmalade may vary by 1 to 2 jars. Wipe the rims and threads of the jars with a moist paper towel and top each with a lid. Place a ring on each jar and tighten.  

Return the jars to the pot with boiling water, being certain that they don’t touch the bottom of the pot or each other. (If you don’t have a jar rack, try a round cake rack, or metal mesh basket. Even a folded kitchen towel on the pot bottom will do in a pinch.)

Add additional water if necessary to cover the jars by at least an inch. Boil for 10 minutes. Using canning tongs, carefully remove the jars from the water, place in a cool dry place and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours before opening. Once open, store in the refrigerator. Unopened marmalade will last for up to 6 months.  Shown in Pic 4.

Be sure and label your jars with the date, they’ll keep in a cool dry place for a year or so, but you don’t want to forget when they were made!