Learn how to make and preserve delicious Italian style bitter orange marmalade at home with our step-by-step orange jam canning recipe. Featuring just 4 ingredients: oranges, lemons, water and sugar, this homemade orange marmalade is much healthier than all that orange mystery goo they sell at big box retailers.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time2 hourshrs40 minutesmins
Resting time2 hourshrs
Course: Jam, Marmalade
Keyword: homemade orange marmalade, how to make orange jam, how to make orange marmalade, orange jam recipe, orange jelly for canning, Orange marmalade, orange marmalade canning recipe, orange marmalade recipe, recipe for marmalade oranges
Servings: 2x 8.5 oz. jars. The final yield may vary based on your preferred level of jam doneness.
Ingredients
3lb.oranges1.360 kg
3large lemons
2cupssugar
4cupswater1 liter
1 ½tbsp.pectin
Instructions
Prepare the fruit:
Wash the oranges and lemons thoroughly.
Using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, remove zest from four oranges. Be careful to avoid getting too much of the white pith, as it can make the marmalade bitter.
Remove the peel from the oranges and lemon. Chop the oranges and lemons into equally sized pieces.
If using varieties with seeds, make sure to remove them, as they can make your orange jam taste bitter.
Cooking the orange jam:
Carefully mix chopped oranges, lemons and the reserved zest with sugar in a large pot. Let it sit for about 1-2 hours. Then, add all the measured out water to the pot with the fruit and sugar.
Place the pot on the stove over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to ensure the sugar is completely dissolved.
Once the mixture reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.
After about 2 hours, the chopped fruit and zest should be soft enough for further processing.
Set up a metal mesh kitchen strainer over a large bowl to catch the pulp and juices. Using a ladle or large metal spoon, remove the cooked zest and fruit into the strainer.
Press and rub the cooked fruit against the mesh, pushing the pulp and juices through. Discard the solids remaining in the strainer and pour the strained jam back into the pot.
Add the pectin to the pot and thoroughly mix it with the jam using a whisk.
Bring the jam in the pot to a gentle boil over medium-low heat and let it boil for 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the desired consistency. Stir regularly to prevent sticking.
Perform a chilled plate test to ensure you are happy with the jam's consistency.
Once satisfied, process the jam using your preferred canning method.