Delicious homemade orange marmalade made with just two ingredients, fresh oranges and sugar.
This old fashioned recipe uses simple techniques to remove all the bitterness sometimes found in orange peels. The end result is a delicious, sweet orange marmalade.
Homemade orange marmalade
There's just something about orange marmalade that says sunshine to me! Maybe it's because of it's sunny color. Or maybe it's because I just returned from sunny Arizona where we picked loads of oranges!
This homemade orange marmalade takes several steps, but many of those steps involve soaking or resting the orange peel. There are no shortcuts with this recipe and the results are amazing!
This recipe for orange marmalade uses several soaking steps that helps soften the orange peel and removes all the bitterness.
Once made you can freeze this marmalade or preserve it in canning jars and process in a hot water bath.
This is a delicious jam (or marmalade) that is perfect for capturing the very best flavor from fresh oranges.
Jam, Jelly and Marmalade
Jam, jelly and marmalade all are very similar, but there are a few differences.
Jam is made with fruit like berries, and stone fruits and includes the pulp and juice of the fruit.
Jelly is made with just the juice without any seeds or pulp, and marmalades are usually made with citrus fruits and includes the pulp and the peel.
Ingredients
Just two ingredients is all you need!
- Fresh oranges - I used navel oranges, but you could also use Valencia oranges or for a fun color, try blood oranges. You'll be using the peel, the pulp and any juice that is released when cutting the oranges.
- Sugar - granulated sugar
Step by step directions
- Remove peel from oranges and slice into small strips
- Remove pith and chop oranges into small chunks. The oranges I used had a large amount of white pith so I removed it. This is optional.
- Place peel in a saucepan along with 6 cups of water. Boil for 5 minutes.
- Drain water and repeat: Boil for 5 minutes with 6 cups of water.
- Drain water.
- Add pulp and 6 cups water. Boil for 5 minutes. Do not Drain!
- Remove from heat and let stand for 12-18 hours or overnight
- Bring mixture back to a boil and simmer for 30-45 minutes until peel has softened.
- Turn heat to low and add sugar one cup at a time, stirring while adding to help dissolve.
- Continue cooking over medium low heat, stirring often to avoid scorching, until mixture reaches the gelling point (30-45 minutes).
- Jam can be tested on a plate - scoop out a tablespoonful of jam onto a plate. Allow for jam to cool for a minute and then run the back of a spoon through jam. If the jam stays separated, it is done. You don't want it too runny, but you also don't want it too thick. Check out this
- Remove from heat and ladle hot marmalade into clean jars.
How do I know when my jam is done?
Knowing when your jam is set, or done is the hardest part of making jam.
When cooking without commercial pectin you need to rely on a spoon test, a plate test or check the temperature. I like to use at least two methods, and often all three methods when making jam.
Spoon test
The spoon test relies on watching the sheeting or drops as they come off the spoon while it is cooking. When the jam first starts boiling it comes off in drops or thin streams.
When the jam has set, the jam will come off the spoon in more of a sheet. This takes some time to learn what this looks like and even though I've been making jam for years, I always rely on a second method.
Plate test
Have a small plate chilling in the refrigerator. When you think the jam has set, place a spoonful of hot jam on the cold plate. Wait one minute and draw a line through the center of the jam. If the line holds its shape and doesn't run, the jam is set.
Temperature test
The temperature test is the most reliable. However the exact temperature will vary, depending on your altitude. You will deduct 2° for every thousand feet above sea level. Jam sets at 220° at sea level. I'm at about 2000 feet above sea level and my jam sets between 216° - 218°
I usually watch my jam with a thermometer and when it starts getting close to 215° I begin doing a sheeting test and then the plate test. I don't like to rely on just one method.
Recipe tips
- You can slice the peel into smaller bits if you prefer smaller pieces in your marmalade
- Watch the water level while you're boiling the jam. If it becomes too dry, add more water.
- Make certain you use a large enough pot when you add the sugar. The mixture expands, especially while it's boiling.
- Stir often to avoid scorching
- Freeze jam or process in a hot water bath to make shelf stable
Uses for orange marmalade
- Use this delicious sweet orange marmalade in any place you'd use jam. It's perfect in these thumbprint cookies!
- Use it on toast or an English Muffin or in a sandwich.
- It can also be added to chicken dishes or even used in cocktail meatballs with barbecue sauce. The meatballs are traditionally made with apricot jam, but orange marmalade would be great too.
Storage
I froze my marmalade after making. You can also make the marmalade self stable by processing the jars in a boiling water canner. Details on preserving jam can be found on my blackberry jam recipe. You'll follow the same steps for adding to canning jars, and the same processing times.
More jam recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be certain to check out all my delicious jam recipes!
Orange Marmalade
Ingredients
- 2 cups orange peel (cut into thin strips)
- 4 cups orange pulp (chopped)
- 4 cups sugar
Instructions
- Place peel in a saucepan along with 6 cups of water. Boil for 5 minutes.2 cups orange peel
- Drain water and repeat: Boil for 5 minutes with 6 cups of water.
- Drain water.
- Add pulp and 6 cups water. Boil for 5 minutes. Do not drain water.4 cups orange pulp
- Remove from heat. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 12-18 hours or overnight
- Remove cover and bring mixture back to a boil and boil for 30-45 minutes until peel has softened.
- Turn heat to low and add sugar one cup at a time, stirring while adding to help dissolve.4 cups sugar
- Continue cooking, stirring often to avoid scorching, until mixture reaches the gelling point (30-45 minutes)
- Remove from heat and ladle hot marmalade into clean half-pint jars.
- Freeze jam until needed, or process jars in boiling water canner for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude.)
Notes
- You can slice the peel into smaller bits if you prefer smaller pieces in your marmalade
- Watch the water level while you're boiling the jam. If it becomes too dry, add more water.
- Make certain you use a large enough pot when you add the sugar. The mixture expands, especially while it's boiling.
- Stir often to avoid scorching
- Freeze jam or process in a hot water bath to make shelf stable
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Ball Blue Book
Lisa King says
Can you water bath and preserve rhubarb preserves?
Kathy says
Yes, rhubarb preserves can be canned in a water bath canner.
Eirini says
Hey,
When you start boiling the mixture, does the mixture include the water we shouldnt drain?
Kathy says
Yes! The last amount of water added is included once you begin boiling.
Enjoy!
Gina says
If you are tripling the recipe,wouldn't you increase the water to 12 cups?
Kathy says
Hi Gina,
If you are using the tab to triple the recipe, it only changes the amount in the actual ingredients and doesn't adjust the amounts written in the actual instructions. You'll want to triple the amount of water too.
Thanks for checking and let me know how it turns out!
Kathy 🙂