I made marmalade today. I was rather rushed because we were doing all the weekend errands and work we usually do in one day because we sat with Rocket yesterday during his other grandfather’s funeral. Interment will be Tuesday at the National Cemetery in Elgin, OK (part of Ft. Sill of Lawton). While I was making marmalade, Mr. Picky eater was recovering a lovely vanity bench we picked up for $1 last summer at a yard sale. The seat was torn up and he wasn’t happy when I purchased it but with the $2.25 piece of fabric we got at the Joanne’s sale today, we have a very nice item for him to sell at the flea market that only cost us $3.25 and about 30 minutes work! Here’s a picture:
Now for the marmalade that was my dad’s favorite and has become one of mine as well. Many people ask for it but the truth is, I dislike making it because it is SO labor intensive! I use Seville oranges but mine is different in that I do not use a mandolin to thinly slice the oranges because I think the white part is bitter and the membrane gets tough in the processing. So I slice the oranges in half and taking a grapefruit spoon, I scoop out the oranges from the membrane. I also use a nutmeg grater to scrape the peel off the oranges and they generally dissolve in the cooking process. Since it may take up to 2 weeks for the marmalade to set, I can’t show you any of the jarred stuff. I took the remainder after filling up 6 half pint jars and stuck it in the freezer so it would quick-set. Here is the recipe:
Orange Marmalade
4 cups of orange segments and juice
1 Tablespoon of orange peel
Juice of 1 lemon and some of the lemon peel
5 ½ Cups sugar
1 box powdered pectin
1 pat butter (this one is a foamer!)
Directions:
1. Put the orange, lemon, peels, pectin, and butter in a non-stainless steel pot and bring to a hard boil.
2. Add sugar and stir constantly until a hard boil is once again reached.
3. Using a second hand, allow to remain at hard boil and continue stirring for 1 full minute.
4. Immediately take from the burner and set next to the ½ pint jars that have been sterilized.
5. The jar lids should have been in a pot of water on the stove simmering.
6. Let marmalade sit for 5 minutes and skim any foam from the top with a spoon.
7. Using a ladle put the marmalade into jars leaving ¼ inch head space.
8. Wipe rim down with wet paper towel
9. Place flat top on the jar and screw the part on tightly.
10. Place all jars in a simmering water bath for 10 minutes.
11. Take jars out and place in a draft free place for up to 2 weeks, checking lids for seal and marmalade for set frequently.
I have another marmalade recipe Strawberry Lemon.
Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend!
I love orange marmalade.. I never thought making it at home, i can imagine that fresh home made tastes just beautiful!
Thank you for dropping by and please come back soon. Yes! It DOES taste wonderful – I know because I ate the spoonful I photographed. 🙂
I’m so impressed that you two fix up furniture and put up cans of things and make marmalade. I never learned how to do any of those things so I end up buying overly expensive things from stores. 🙁
Thank you for the compliments Anita – You know, we both learned all those things from parents and grandparents because we lived on either a farm (MPE) or ranch (me) and it was tough for them to get into town years ago. Honestly, I hated learning any of it! Until, while I was in college I saved my girlfriend’s parents $800 because they were going to have their furniture reupholstered instead of doing it themselves. Then, I started thinking maybe some of the stuff I learned, like canning and repurposing, was a good thing. This was long before either became “cool”. Who knew I would become Hip at 50 when I was such a dork at 20? 🙂
Your marmalade beats store bought easily 😀
Cheers
CCU
Thanks CCU – glad to see you made it back from your holiday trip!
The marmalade looks wonderful – and also the little bench.
Lillian
lillianscupboard.wordpress.com
Thank you! I’m working on my photography and being a little experimental – so I’m glad you noticed the bench!
I made it last year and I agree that it is very labor intensive. You have inspired me to give it another go! For all the work, it really is delicious homemade.
It truly is worth the effort – after I have put forth the effort but while I”m in the middle of it —-not so much! Can’t wait to see how yours turns out!
Um… I kinda love that little bench. It would look super cute in my future craft room, which is painted purple… too bad you’re so far away or I would seriously snatch it up!
I’ve never made marmalade, but Megan and I are going to attempt canning this year. I’ll bookmark this recipe just in case I have some extra oranges to use up 😉
Thank you for the compliment on the bench and I can’t wait to see how y’all do canning! If I were you, I would start with strawberry (unless you hate strawberries) because it is the most forgiving jam to can!
I love strawberries! I can’t wait for strawberry picking season; it’s one of my favorite activities. That will give me a good reason to pick more 😉 Thanks for the tip!
You are welcome! If I can help on the big day, just let me know when you are doing it, I will be close to the computer so you can email!
Oh, thanks! I will definitely keep that in mind 😉
Not a huge fan of marmalade but yours looks amazing 🙂
Thank you for the compliment! I’ve got something coming up (as soon as I get up off my lazy hinie) that I know you’ll like!! 🙂
You have so many talents! This does sound a bit labor intensive but definitely worth it! I made some delicious peach marmalade this summer. We love it and I would definitely try this recipe too. What a great canning project for winter.
It’s not so bad to make this really labor intensive during winter…………it would be awful in the summer! 🙂 I’m actually going to make some more along with some lemon marmalade with blueberries this weekend……..if it turns out, it should make a great post! 🙂
What a bargain Kelli, it is amazing what you can do if you have the talent! Do let’s us know whether you sell it at the flea market, else you may have a buyer here.
Tastes change as you get older don’t they? I remember my Dad sitting eating marmalade, and I tried it and found it rather unpalatable! However, now I love it (reduced sugar of course), and usually have a jar in the fridge. They were saying on the TV that marmalade is ‘dying out’ as more and more breakfast spreads come on the market – shame!
I will let you know! We recovered a vintage ottoman with the same material just now – I took a picture so I will post it with my next blog post – I like it even better. I understand why marmalade is dying out though. It’s because it’s do laborious to make!! 🙂
This sounds so refreshing! I’ve never made orange marmalade myself, but will try it now for sure! Thank you so much for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza – Hope to see you there again next week with more deliciousness 🙂
If I don’t have powered pectin can I use liquid. Thanks, Marie
Yes! You can! Good luck!!
Thanks, I made the strawberry lemon and it’s wonderful. Thank you so much for the recipes.