Sectioning Citrus for Marmalade

Cut the top and the bottom of the fruit off. Peel you citrus as close to the fruit as possible right between the pith and the fruit. You now have a clean piece of fruit no peel and no pith.

 I think that this has to be the best trick I have learned when it comes to citrus. I makes the cutting of this tangy fruit so easy. If you are like me making marmalade is something I look forward to. Being in Southern California we are blessed with some of the best citrus.




Now take the piece of fruit into your palm and look at it. You notice the sections? You want to get your knife as close to each side of the section as possible. Once you get this trick down you can see how you can get close enough to the section that you can section one side and slide the fruit section out. It takes time and patients and it is messy no matter how you look at it.

But the reward is the beautiful pieces of fruit you will have for your jams and marmalade's. I section and freeze so much of this so I can add it to any fruit when summer is hear. It is also handy for recipes that call for fresh citrus.






How nice is this bowl of sectioned fruit?

Orange-Lemon Marmalade

Marmalade all of you know I am a Citrus Freak! I love that tang.











Orange-Lemon Marmalade

5 pounds of lemon and oranges
2 cups orange pulp
1 cup of lemon pulp
1 cup combined thinly sliced orange & lemon peels
¼ tsp baking soda
2 cups of water
1 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice
5 cups of sugar again to taste I like 4
Natural pectin




Ok the first thing you do is prep your citrus. I have learned a great way to cut citrus. Keep in mind that Marmalade is a time consuming jam. Worth the time trust me!








So thinly slice your lemons and one of the oranges , it comes to about a cup.Now take the slices and cut them into quarters. Put the slices, rinds 2 cups of water with the baking soda into the pot bring it to a boil . Turn it down and let it simmer on low for 20 minutes this tenderizes it. This also brings out a lot of the natural pectin from the peels.






In the mean time cube up your oranges and lemons this is without the peel cut enough to have 3 cups of chunky pulp (see the picture) but like all my tips you make it the consistency you like after all its your jam.


Ok once the slices have simmered add the rest of the liquid and the chunks and the pectin.
Bring this to a rapid boil foamy like. For 5 to 7 minutes stirring all the time, this is when a friend or husband saying “Oh my gosh that smells so good”








Next add the sugar slowly (Have your sugar measured out and ready). Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar then to a rolling boil just to gel point.

Here is a tip I learned from June Taylor The Still Room at the class I took in Oakland have your marmalade heat up to a temperature of 223 use a candy thermometer this should insure it will set nicely.

Ladle into clean jars

Give them a bath 15 minutes is my standard time
I have attempted to accurately share safe home preserving methods. However, I make no promises. You are responsible for your health. Be aware of current safety recommendations.

Here is a site that has so many different ways to use your citrus. Talk about no waste.