Orange Marmalade Recipe

AuthorSteve Nubie

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The origin of marmalade dates back to Britain in the 1700’s.  It was and still is a very popular spread on toast at breakfast.  The reason it’s called marmalade and not jam is because marmalades have a bit of the fruit peel in the jam.  Marmalade as a word is derived from a Portuguese word for a type of quince jam which also had bits of peel in it.  Regardless of its history, orange marmalade is still a favorite everywhere.

Orange Marmalade is easy to make in your bread machine assuming you have a dedicated jam and jelly setting.  Many bread machines do.  If you don’t have this setting this jam recipe won’t work.  The Jam and Jelly setting cooks the marmalade at a hotter temperature for a longer duration to allow the sugars to completely gel before you pour it into canning jars.  All of the other bread settings won’t achieve a higher temperature nor the duration needed to make a jam, jelly or marmalade.

Marmalade is typically served at breakfast on toast, muffins, biscuits, pancakes and waffles.  It’s also used as a glaze on poultry, lamb and pork and as a cake filling or topping for cupcakes or other pastries. 

How to process your jams and jellies in a hot water bath

If you want to extend the shelf-life of your jam or jelly you’ll need to process it.  To do this you’ll need some basic equipment.

PROCESSING EQUIPMENT:

• 1 large pot with lid capable of holding 3 gallons of water or more
• 1 ½ gallons of water or enough to cover jars when all jars are immersed in pot
• Canning jars with lids
• Jar tongs for removing jars from boiling water plus regular tongs for lids
• Towel to protect countertop and to dry jars

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring the water to a boil in the pot.
2. Remove the lids from the jars and drop the jars and lids into the boiling water. 
3. After 5 minutes, carefully remove the jars and the lids and allow to dry on a clean, dry towel.
4. Spoon the jam into the jars leaving a quarter-inch of headspace at the top of the jar and screw on the lids tightly.
5. Immerse the jars in the boiling water and cover the pot and boil for 10 minutes. 
6. Shut off the heat and carefully remove the jars using the jar tongs.
7. Set the jars on the towel and carefully dab any water sitting on the jar lid.
8. After 20 minutes, tighten the jars lids. You may need to protect your hands with a couple of dry washcloths to do this.
9. Check the lids. If they are drawn down towards the jar it means you have a good vacuum seal.  If the lid clicks when pressed down, put that jar in the fridge and eat within 4 weeks.  Otherwise, any processed jams or jellies will keep for up to 6-months in a pantry but refrigerate after opening. 
10. Label the jars with the type of jam or jelly and record the date it was made.