Homemade pectin or not

So making your own pectin this is something I learned how to do when I went to a class about Marmalade at June Taylor in Oakland.

It was a great class because she focuses on strictly citrus. Of all kinds.








I really enjoyed the class. The one thing I did not like was no Pictures. No shit good! But that did not deter me from trying this new lesson at home. Always have cheese cloth on hand as jam maker. It will come in handy with so many of your recipes. 





So to start you take the pith , guts and seeds and all things you do not want in your jam. Put this into the cheese cloth. I double up the cheese cloth and tie it with some cooking twine.
Do not use the yellow part of the peel this is good for other uses. Like candied Peels.



How much you use is a good question June used 500 pounds in her 30 quart pot's. LOL large batch. I thought I made large batches but this is large. Just use all the pith stuff you have from the recipe you are making it is all relative. For my Orange Marmalade I got about 4 cups of pith and seed.

 

So you drop you bag of pith and seeds into your pot of boiling jam. Let the pouch simmer with your jam. Marmalade is a boiling point jam which is another subject.

The real fun is waiting for the bag to cool so you can squeeze it. I have gotten myself a pair of heavy duty rubber gloves so as to not have to wait as long anymore.But just put the bag in the freezer for 5 minutes it cools right off.






Squeeze the dickens out of it.










 These last few pictures are for you to see what you get for your time. I will usually squeeze the pectin right into the pot of cooking jam. So moving on I need to say this is something that some will love to do and others will just pick up a box of pectin. I go either way.




Remember that doing things from "Scratch" is always time consuming and needs to be time tested to get the job done the way you like it. DIY can always be improved on and comments are always a great way to learn. I have had people comment and correct me plenty of times Thank Gosh they do!


This is the squeezed to death bag of stuff

And here is the cup of natural pectin I got out of it. I usually like I said squeeze right into the jam and bring it back up to the gel point. If at first you do not succeed try try again.
I do all the time. Oh yes you can. Here is a good site on how to do this process with apples. Here is a site that makes large batch citrus pectin and last but not least here is an old school 1930's article turned modern for you information from Florida.

Lemon Marmalade

Lemon Marmalade a less understood Jam as

we say. None the less a Marmalade that is so delicious that it puts most others to shame when cooked to perfection.

I was lucky to have taken a class up in Oaktown with a Marmalade Hero June Taylor at her shop The Still Room 


I have a friend who is from London and said that my marmalade is  as close to the taste of home as she has ever tasted in America. Lemon Marmalade can not be made willy nilly. It takes great lemon and time. I am blessed with a fabulous Meyer Lemon tree at home as well as at my Mama's and the one Mama has in the desert is supreme. Alright let get canning. 

Do not rush the process make sure you are in the mood. Enjoy the process. It is magic! This posts is full of tips and trick for perfect marmalade so please canner take note of all the recipe not just the ingredient's.

Lemon Marmalade (tart)

4 cups lemon pulp
2 lemons sliced thin 1 cup
1 cup thinly sliced lemon peel (not rinds)(just peel)
¼ tsp baking soda
2 cup of lemon juice
(fresh squeezed its best but bottled will do)
1 cup of water
5 cups of sugar again to taste I like 4 but I like tart

Gel to the gel point of 223 degreez for no pectin 



The first step to do is get the rind cut this is the only way to do marmalade if you do not it does not have that little bit of tangy that real marmalade peeps love!



Thinly slice 2 lemons. The rinds retain their pulp. It comes to about a cup or so give or take.





 
This step is important do not skip this step.

Now take the slices and cut them into quarters. Put the slices in 1 cup of the water and 1 cup of the lemon juice add the 1/8 tsp of baking soda and put it in a small pot bring it to a boil. Turn it down and let it simmer on low for 20 minutes this tenderizes the rind's.

Here is a link for sectioning your citrus. There is a trick and it makes this job much easier.I will section many a citrus to freeze for marmalade's and the like through out the year.

In the mean time cube up your lemons and this is without the peel cut enough to have 4 cups of lemon chunk's but like all my tips you make it the consistency you like after all its your jam.

Just do not change the measurements.





Once the slices have simmered add the rest of the liquid and the chunk's and the pectin




Bring this to a rapid boil it will begin to get a foam. 5 to 7 minutes stirring all the time this is when a friend or husband saying


“Oh my gosh that smells so good”








Next step is to add the sugar slowly (Have your sugar measured out and ready) and make sure that your sugar is dissolved completely. Stir it over a gentle heat do not raise the heat to a boil until you are sure the sugar is dissolved. 



Once it has returned to a rolling boil just to gel point that should be 223 on a thermometer. When it is at it's roiling boil disturb it as little as possible.

Do not let the bag fool you I am using the seeds and pith for natural pectin.





When you are checking to see if your marmalade is set turn the boil down you do not want to over cook it if you do you will have a dark, dry and rubbery marmalade.
 


Let your marmalade cool slightly this way when you jar it up it will make sure the peels and guts get distributed evenly through out your delicious marmalade. Ladle into jars leaving a 1/4" head space, wipe the rims, cap and water bath time.

Give them a bath 15 minutes is my standard time

This is a super one recipe.  You do not need to add boxed pectin, let me explain if you bring your marmalade up to a rolling boil with a candy thermometer to 223 you will get it to the right gel point but this takes practice.



Disclaimer: This is not an all inclusive recipe for making jam. You should have a basic knowledge and understanding of the canning process before proceeding. Please consult your local Center for Home Preservation for additional information and available classes.