Grapefruit Marmalade
Grapefruit marmalade is a delightful homemade citrus marmalade that's a welcome change of pace from traditional orange. This recipe is a quick marmalade recipe, using pectin, which makes it easy to make at home.
Servings: 4 half-pint (8 oz.) jelly jars
Ingredients
- 3 large red grapefruits
- 1 medium lemon
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 2½ cups water
- 1/8 tsp. baking soda
- 1 box 1.75 oz. Sure-Jell regular pectin (or 6 Tbsp. Ball Classic Pectin)
Instructions
- Wash the grapefruits and lemons with a vegetable brush. Optionally, you may use 2 tablespoons of baking soda mixed with 1 cup of water to wash your fruit.
- Remove the outer colored part of the grapefruit with a vegetable peeler. Cut only the outer layer, and do not get too much of the bitter white inner peeling (pith). Do the same with the lemon.
- Chop the grapefruit and lemon peels coarsely and place in a large saucepan.
- Add 1/8 tsp. baking soda and 2 ½ cups of water, stir to mix.
- Bring the grapefruit and lemon peel mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Simmer the mixture for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cut off a small piece on each end of the grapefruit and lemon using a sharp knife.
- Working over a shallow bowl, remove the remaining white peeling from the fruit in strips from top to bottom until you have removed as much of the white layer as possible.
- Slice open the membranes surrounding each grapefruit segment and carefully pull out the fleshy part of the fruit. Remove all seeds, and discard the membranes and seeds. Retain as much of the juice as possible in the shallow bowl.
- Remove the membranes from the lemon segments in the same manner, or leave the membranes and chop the lemon into small pieces.
- Chop the grapefruit into small pieces.
- Add the grapefruit, lemon, and all juices to the peeling mixture, increase the heat, and stir often until the mixture comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Increase the heat to high and bring the fruit mixture back to a hard boil, stirring often.
- Add the package of pectin to the boiling fruit mixture, stirring to dissolve, and heat to a full rolling boil that does not stop as you are stirring.
- Slowly add the sugar, stirring continuously, until all the sugar has been added and the jam returns to a full rolling boil.
- Boil the jam for exactly one full minute.
- Remove the marmalade from the stove and, optionally, skim the foam off the marmalade with a metal spoon.
- Immediately pour or ladle the hot marmalade into prepared jars or freezer-safe containers, leaving ¼" headspace at the top of the jars.
- Wipe the rims of the jars or containers with a clean cloth, and apply the lids.
- Allow the marmalade to cool on the counter before freezing or refrigerating. If canning, preserve the marmalade using a hot water bath canning method for 10 minutes (or adjust processing time for altitude according to the chart).
- After the processing time has elapsed, turn off the heat and leave the jars in the water bath for 5 more minutes (optional, but recommended).
- Using a jar lifter, remove the marmalade and place the jars on a towel on the counter to cool for 24 hours. Check the seals and refrigerate any unsealed jars.
- Sealed marmalade will retain peak quality for up to 12 months stored in a cool, dry place or pantry. If you did not can your marmalade, it could be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months or refrigerator for 3 weeks. Refrigerate the marmalade once opened.
Notes
Altitude Adjustments for Marmalade
Water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitudes, so the canning time needs to be increased at very high altitudes.- For 0 to 3,000 feet in elevation - Process half pint jars for 10 minutes
- For 3,001 to 6,000 feet in elevation - Process half pint jars for 15 minutes
- Above 6,001 feet in elevation - Process half pint jars for 20 minutes