SPREAD THE sweetness long after Valentine's. Slather it on toast or use it to baste roast chicken or ham. However you use it, this recipe for home-made marmalade lets you seal and deliver that lovin' feeling long beyond February 14.
Home preserving is safer and more successful with the right equipment. For cooking the preserves, you'll need...
A large, heavy-bottomed enamelled iron or stainless steel pot deep enough to prevent boil-overs
Long-handled wooden spoon for stirring
Slotted spoon for skimming foam from the preserves
Ladle or glass measuring cup with a pouring lip for filling jars
Wide-mouthed funnel
Jar tongs for lifting jars
Processing a high-acid product such as orange marmalade can be done safely in a hot-water bath using a canner or large, lidded pot and a metal rack to hold the jars in place and protect them from the heat of the burner. Use heavy glass jelly jars that can withstand the heat of sterilising and prolonged processing in a canner. Purchase new self-sealing lids, ring bands (if you don't already have them), and labels for marking the date and contents of the jars.
Preserving is part chemistry and part craft. Success requires undivided attention and a degree of patience, since undercooking or overcooking can cause failure. Success depends on accurately determining when the preserves reach the gel point (the stage at which they are done and will thicken to the proper consistency when cooled).
A time-honoured method of judging the gel point calls for pouring a small amount of hot preserves on to a frozen saucer. If they set up in 2 minutes, they are likely done. Another traditional method involves observing the structure of the hot preserves as they slide off a spoon. If they form drops that come together in a sheet, they're probably done. The most reliable and safest method of testing requires an accurate candy (or deep-fat) thermometer and knowing the elevation of your area. At sea level, the gel point is reached at about 220ºF (8 degrees above the boiling point of water at sea level, 212ºF). The higher the elevation, the lower the temperature at which the gel point is reached.
Orange marmalade
For orange marmalade, use sweet oranges if bitter varieties are not available. Note that the fruit mixture needs to be refrigerated for two 24-hour periods to help tenderise and release the natural pectin in the peel. The exact cooking time for the preserves depends on the amount of fruit, juice and sugar in the pot; the elevation; and atmospheric conditions.
3 bitter oranges (if not
available, substitute sweet
oranges, such as Valencia
or navel)
1 sweet orange
1/2 lemon or 1/4 lime
4 1/2 cups water
Sugar, as needed
METHOD
1. Wash fruit thoroughly; do not peel. Slice oranges and lemon very thinly; remove seeds. Place sliced fruit in large glass or ceramic bowl; cover with the water and let stand, covered, in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
2. Transfer fruit mixture to large, heavy-bottomed pot. Over medium heat, simmer until peel is fork-tender (about 30 minutes).
3. Remove from heat, cool slightly; cover and let stand in refrigerator for another 24 hours.
4. Measure fruits and their liquid; add an equal amount of sugar and return fruit and sugar mixture to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently at first and then constantly, until mixture registers about:
220ºF at sea level;
218ºF at 1,000 feet;
216ºF at 2,000 feet;
214ºF at 3,000 feet;
212ºF at 4,000 feet;
211ºF at 5,000 feet;
209ºF at 6,000 feet;
207ºF at 7,000 feet;
205ºF at 8,000 feet
(approx. 20 to 35 minutes).
5. Quickly skim foam from mixture; ladle hot preserves into hot jars that have been sterilised and drained, leaving 1/4-inch space between marmalade and lid. Cover with hot lids that have been sterilised or heated according to manufacturer's instructions; tighten ring bands.
6. Set jars in canner partially filled with hot (180ºF) water. Pour in additional hot water to cover tops of jars by 2 inches. Heat water in canner to rolling boil; regulate heat to maintain constant gentle boil, counting processing time from when water around the jars boils. Process half-pint jars for 5 minutes at elevations under 1,000 feet. Increase time to 10 minutes for altitudes from 1,000 to 6,000 feet, and 15 minutes from 6,000 to 8,000 feet.
7. Remove jars from canner; set on folded towel. Let cool at room temperature for 12 hours. Use within a year. Refrigerate any jar that fails to seal and use within two weeks.
Makes 3 to 4 half-pints.
