So I rounded up some jam jars - see, there really is a legitimate reason to save all those empty jars - and put the pot on the stove and started the process.
Ingredients:
1kg Seville oranges - the bitter ones - don't use regular oranges
4 pints water (these are UK Imperial pints) = 2.250 Liters or 5 US pints
Juice of 2 lemons
*2kg golden caster sugar = 4 1/2 LB Sugar (feel free to use white sugar but NOT light brown, etc)
6-8 (340-450g) jam jars
a piece of clean plain muslin - I can never find the stuff and its a pita anyway so I do without it. Directions for both ways will be given.
* Please, please, please try to use classic Cane Sugar for this. In my experience beet sugar is just not the same and just not good enough for fine baking or jam making. Ask me if you need this clarified.
Method:
1. Slice oranges and lemons in half.
2. Put a muslin-lined sieve (or use a smallish, thin, clean cloth) over a bowl. Squeeze the citrus over the muslin to catch the pith and pips. Let the juice drip into the bowl. Keep the lemon peel to use in other dishes. Keep hold of the pips and muslin.
If you can't get muslin or just can't be bothered, use a sturdy sieve and squeeze all the citrus directly into the sieve. Put the lemon peel aside or throw it out since you'd just forget it in the fridge till it was moldy and throw it out anyway.
3.Now it's time to shred the orange peel (oh joy!) Either get out a sharp knife, cut the orange peel halves in half again, flatten them out a bit and start cutting shreds. Remember that the peel will swell a bit in cooking so you probably want to keep the shreds fairly thin. If you like thick cut peel, feel free, that's the joy of making it yourself.
I hate slicing a mountain of orange peel so this year I used a mandolin set on the thinnest setting mine had. It was still a bit of effort but much, much less than a knife and I ended up with a mountain of delicate fairy think peel. Bliss! (Just be careful and watch the fingers, mandolins can be lethal!
4. Tie the muslin up to secure the pips inside and toss into your large preserving pan or stock pot, whatever you use for jam making. Pour in the citrus juice, the shredded orange peel, and the water. Cover and allow to soak for 24 hours.
If you are not using muslin, dump all the pips and pith from the sieve into a small saucepan. Cover with 2 cups of water and cover the pan and allow this pan to soak for 24 hours as well.
5. The next day: Place the pot over medium-high heat and cook at a gentle boil till the peel is soft, about 30 to 60 minutes. If the pips are in a separate pan, bring that to a gentle boil and allow to simmer 30 minutes.
6. Take the small pan off the heat. Dump the contents into a clean sieve hung above a mixing bowl and start pressing it with the back of a wooden spoon. You want to press out all the pectin which looks like a thick cloudy jell as it drips from the sieve. Get out all the pectin you can - the more the better because this is what sets the preserves. Similarly, if you are using muslin, remove that bag from the preserving pot and allow it to cool. Then squeeze and press the muslin bag till the pectin flows into a mixing bowl. When no more pectin flows out, throw away the squeezed out pips and pour the pectin into the orange mix in the preserving pot.
7. Add the sugar to the preserving pot. Stir till completely dissolved. Return pan to the heat and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly till setting point is reached, 30 mins to 2hrs. (It ran 1 hour and 15 min for me this time.) The amount of time really depends on the pan you use and the amount of pectin in the pips - use your instincts, keep an eye on it and when it looks thick and sticky, do the set test, below. Once it passes, it's done!
8. Set test: Setting point is when a little marmalade, spooned on to a cold plate (chill in freezer) and allowed to cool, has a "set" surface and "wrinkles" when pushed with the finger.
9 Pour or ladle into warm sterilized jars. Seal immediately. Store and enjoy
Note: How to sterilise your jars It’s absolutely fine to reuse old jam jars. Wash in boiling hot water. Dry thoroughly. When the marmalade's nearly done, place the jars and lids in a cold oven. Turn to 100C/Gas ¼. Let them warm for 10 mins.
