Marmalade

Making marmalade is something that you can do any time! I love the flavours – it is a LOT of effort but, it is well worth the time and patience!! It is perfect to make in early winter when citrus fruit is at its best! Marmalade is not just for breakfast – it can be used as a glaze for chicken breasts, baked ham and roasted pork. I also use it in a orange sauce for mushroom tacos!! This recipe makes about 20 two cup jars.

10 lemons
10 limes
25 oranges
5 blood oranges
20 cups of water
1 1/4 teaspoons of baking soda
15 cups of sugar

Remove the thin outer rind from the lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit and cut into fine strips with scissors or a sharp knife. Place in a very large stainless steel pot. Remove the white rind from the lemons and oranges and cut up and place in the saucepan with the rind. Add the water, bring to a boil over high heat and boil gently for 25 minutes. Discard the white rind from the limes (it is too sour).

Finely chop all the fruit pulp. Add the chopped pulp and the baking soda to the saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce heat and boil gently for 30 minutes. Use a hand blender to blend the fruit slightly.

Add sugar to the saucepan and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil rapidly, uncovered until the mixture reaches 220 F (about 1 hour and 20 minutes). Remove from heat.

Ladle into sterlized jars – add boiled lids and use boiled rings to tighten the lids. Process for 15 minutes by boiling in a canner with jars covered with 1 inch of water.