Marmalade (with any Citrus)

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This is the traditional Three-Day Method for Homemade Marmalade with Any Citrus. It works well with all citrus fruits, though bitter, sour Seville oranges and lemons are traditional, sweeter fruits like navel or blood oranges are becoming popular in modern kitchens. When using sweet fruits, be sure to substitute lemons for about ¼ to ½ of the total fruit. That means using ½ to 1 pound of lemons, and 1 to 1 ½ pounds of sweet citrus.

Prep Time3

Cook Time30

Canning Time10

Total Time3 40

Course: marmalade

Cuisine: English

Keyword: citrus, citrus preserve, marmalade

Servings: servings (5 half pint jars)

Equipment

Ingredients

2 lbs Citrus Around 2 pounds of your chosen citrus, including lemons, oranges, grapefruits, or any citrus. If using sweet fruit like navel oranges, replace about 1/4 to 1/2 of the fruit with lemon slices for a balanced flavor.
2 lbs Sugar or equal to the weight of fruit
Water To soak and boil the fruit
1/4 cup Fresh Lemon juice 2 to 6 ounces (¼ to ¾ cup to help set the marmalade and add tartness)

Instructions

Day 1

Prep the Fruit: Use half the citrus (1 lb for this recipe). If using lemons for part of the fruit to balance sweet citrus, process them first and save most of the sweet citrus for the next step.
Slice the citrus into eighths, leaving in the seeds.
Soak the Fruit: Place the citrus pieces in a non-reactive saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch.
Cover the pot and let it rest overnight at room temperature to soften the peel and start pectin release.

Day 2

Cook the Fruit: Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30-40 minutes until tender. Ensure water levels remain high enough to submerge the fruit.
Drain the Citrus: Once softened, remove from heat and strain, reserving the liquid. Allow the citrus chunks to drain overnight.
Prepare the Sliced Fruit: Slice the remaining citrus thinly, removing seeds while keeping the peel attached.
Boil the Slices: Cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. For bitter citrus, discard the water and repeat; for sweet citrus, skip the second boil.
Soak the Slices: Allow the citrus slices to cool in the cooking liquid and soak overnight to soften and release more pectin.

Day 3: Finishing the Marmalade

Prepare for Jarring: Place a saucer with 3-5 metal teaspoons in the freezer for testing. If canning, prepare a water bath canner and jars.
Add Sugar: Ensure the pot is large enough to prevent boiling over. Stir sugar into the citrus mixture carefully.
Cook the Marmalade: Bring to a rapid boil and cook until the setting point is reached (about 30-45 minutes). Stir gently as it foams.
Testing for Set
Instant Read Thermometer: Marmalade sets at 220°F at sea level, decreasing 1°F for every 500 feet in elevation.
Cold Plate Test: Place a spoonful on a chilled plate, wait a few seconds, and run your finger through it. If it wrinkles and holds shape, it's ready.
Cold Spoon Test: Drop a spoonful on a frozen spoon and wait 1-2 minutes. If it holds its shape and thickens like jelly, it's done.
Turn off heat and ladle into jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.
Canning (Optional): Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet).
Let jars cool to room temperature. Check seals and store sealed jars in the pantry for 12-18 months. Refrigerate after opening.

Notes

Citrus selection: Use a mix of sweet and tart citrus for balanced flavor. For sweet citrus, replace 1/4 to 1/2 with lemons.

Sugar ratio: Sugar amount can be adjusted slightly based on personal preference and citrus sweetness. If you’d like to dramatically lower the sugar, you’ll need to use a low sugar pectin to get the marmalade to set.

Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice is preferred over bottled for better flavor and pectin content. Some canning recipes specify bottled lemon juice, but that’s not required for marmalade with so much acidity already in the mix.

Nutrition