Marmalade

[aquilegia]

Do I make marmalade in the same way as jam? If not, is it complicated to make? Can I make it from any citrus fruit?

It's just I saw big bags (probably about five pounds) of satsumas for 50p in my local farm shop yesterday. They were a bit past their best for eating, but would've been ok to cook. I didn't buy any. But i've seen them many times before in there, so hopefully they will have them again.

[aquilegia]

[Palustris]

I have a recipe for satsuma marmalade. It needs 18 satsumas and 6 lemons. You can make marmalade out of any citrus fruit even out of orange peel. If you want the recipe I will post it. Anne

[aquilegia]

Yes please Anne. You confused me then - I was expected Eric!

[Palustris]

Here goes
18 Satsumas (tangerines or clementines)
 6 lemons
 5 pints of water
 3 lbs of sugar
Method.
Half fruit and squeeze out the juice
Remove the central membrane from both fruits and put this in a small basin with half a pint of water.
Shred the satsuma peel very very finely.
Pare the rind from the lemon with a potato peeler and shred this also.
Put the pith from the lemon with pips in the small basin.
Put the fruit juice, shredded peel and remaining water in a large basin and leave over night
Next day, put all this in a preserving pan with the pith and pips tied in a muslin bag and all the water.
Boil steadily for an hour.
Remove the muslin bag pressing it firmly against the side of the pan to release any liquid and the pectin.
Add sugar to the pan and allow to dissolve slowly, then boil rapidly until the marmalade sets.
Bottle as normal. Makes about 4lbs.
Anne

[aquilegia]

blimey - that's complicated! I shall give it a go, when they next have a load of satsumas going cheap. But first, I must find my juice squeezer thingy. Where did I put it?

[Val]

 ;DMy old mum used to make marmalade, I didn't realise it was that involved. Don't think I'll attempt it....whats a preserving pan?

[aquilegia]

Val - special pan for making jam. Big, heavy bottomed. I don't have one, I just use my biggest saucepan and clean up the mess afterwards!

[Val]

 ;DOh thanks Aquilega, I think most of the old pans were heavy bottomed, I've vague memories of mum lifting with 2 hands and a tea cloth, or maybe she did have a preserving pan. I can remember all the jars washed and lined up...sorry trip down memory lane there. ;D

[JustMarian]

The truly old ones were made of copper and were beautiful !  Shame time has to move on...

[gavin]

Going back a bit to

Blimey - that's complicated

;D Nothing quite like home-made marmalade - a lot of the recipes I use are based on

- making a good jelly (so you need the pith, seeds and stringy bits!);
- making a clear jelly (so you need the pith, seeds and stringy bits kept separate, in a muslin bag [read - clean handkerchief or whatever!]);
- and having the thinnest, most delicate strips of peel "floating" evenly in the jelly.

Complicated?  Yup - a bit more complicated than jam, but not much; it's just keeping the "solids" you need for the jelly, but don't want to see,  out of the jar!   

Oooooh, and its worth it!  :-)  Go on - have a go!

All best - Gavin

[Sarah-b]

The best home-made marmalade I ever tasted was made by my half-sister. She used a Delia recipe from the Winter cookbook. I think it was seville oranges and there was a hugely long cooking time. The marmalade was thick and dark and bitter (in a nice way).
And isn't marmalade a lovely word?!

Sarah.

[derbex]

thick and dark and bitter (in a nice way)

Theres a how do you like your (women/men*) joke there >:(

I'll get my coat.

Jeremy

* cros out wun which do not aply.