Three Citrus Marmalade
adapted from several marmalade recipes in “So Easy to Preserve“
Yield: 3 1/2 pints
2 pink grapefruit
3 lemons
4 navel oranges
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 cups of sugar
1 pkg low sugar pectin (for use in the short method below)
zest poaching liquid
Wash and dry the fruit. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the fruit. Cut the zest strips into a fine confetti or nice strips which I prefer. Combine the zest in a pot with 3 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce temperature to medium high and simmer for half an hour until zest is tender.
While the zest cooks…
Long method – (You make your own pectin)
cut the white pith away from the fruit and separate the fruit from the membranes (see instructions above for greater detail). Collect the interior fruit in a large measuring cup and set the membranes and any seeds aside.
When all the fruit has been chopped into quarters, bundle with the reserved pith and seeds into a length of cheesecloth, tying the cloth well so that no seeds can escape.
Short method – (Use prepackaged pectin)
Cut the fruit in half and juice the fruit, and use the low sugar pectin!
Drain the zest but reserve the cooking liquid. Combine the zest cooking liquid along with the juice
– should be about 4 cups of juice. Add zest (about 1 cup).
In a large heavy stainless steel or enameled cast iron pot, combine zest, citrus fruit, zest cooking liquid and pectin and bring to rolling boil. (You shouldn’t be able to stir the boil down). Stir briskly for one full minute.
Add sugar all at once and bring back to rolling boil for another full minute.
When the marmalade reaches 220 degrees and sustains it for one minute, remove the pot from the heat. Stir for about a minute off the heat, to help the zest bits become evenly spread throughout the preserve.
Fill prepared jars and water bath process.
When time is up, remove jars from the pot and let them cool completely. When they are cool to the touch, check the seals by pushing down on the top of the lid. Lack of movement means a good seal.