Cara Cara Orange Marmalade
Marmalade is one of those foods that I always desperately wished that I liked. The way the word rolls off my tongue, the rosy, bright glow of it in the jar, the idea of sweet, but tart stickiness on my hot, buttered toast… it all appeals to me. And yet… it never seemed to live up to the promise. Always just a bit too bitter, or a bit too cloying, and almost always a disappointment.
This marmalade changed my mind about marmalade. It’s sweeter than is typical for this kind of jam, but not too sugary. Thick slices of peel deliver only a hint of bitterness, but mostly just big orange-y flavor. It’s orange marmalade that actually makes you think of oranges. Sweet, juicy, bright oranges. It’s a kinder, gentler marmalade.
I’m fairly certain the difference is because of the oranges. I used Cara Caras, a variety that has a gorgeous ruby flesh and a sweeter flavor than your average navel orange. Not only do the Cara Caras make the jam less bitter, but they also lend a pinkish hue that makes just a little more special. A smear of this sticky deliciousness on your toast or English muffin in the morning will set the world aright for the rest of the day.
Ok, but I know you guys, you’re all… “Ok, I’m convinced. Send me some of that marmalade. But I don’t make jam. Or can things. Duh.”
Yeah, I hear you. I’m not going to ask you to take up jam making. (Although it’s easier than you’d think, with a big payoff!) Nor am I going to ask you to go out and get yourself a pressure canner and eight thousand Ball jars and get to work canning right away. (But… just so you know… it’s not as hard as everyone makes it out to be and is one of the most satisfying kitchen projects ever!)
But here’s the good news: this is kind of a gateway recipe. See, as far as jam and preserves-making go, this recipe is about as simple as it gets. As in, really, really hard to screw up. It’s basically slice, stir, boil, pour into jars. So if you ever even once thought, in your craziest moment, “Hey, making jam might be fun!”, this is a great place to start. Same with the whole canning thing. This isn’t technically “canned” (as in it doesn’t involved a water bath, even), but you do put the finished marmalade in jars, which seal (and give you that oh-so-satisfying pop sound of the lids sealing up), and the stuff keeps on your pantry shelf for ages. There’s no real risk of botulism or any of that, because of the acid in the citrus and the large amount of sugar. Like I said, it’s a great, safe, fun place to start. You may just get hooked when you realize how easy it is. The delicious marmalade you’ll be eating for the next few months might not hurt in convincing you either.
Ingredients
- 4 large oranges
- 2 lemons
- 8 cups water
- 8 cups sugar
Instructions
- Cut each of the lemons and oranges in half, then slice very thinly with a very sharp knife (or better yet, use a mandoline if you have one. Sadly, I do not.) Discard any seeds you come across. Place all the citrus and juices into a big stainless steel pot. Add the water, then bring the mixture to a boil, stirring intermittently. Once it comes to a boil, remove from the heat and stir in the sugar until it is dissolved. Cover the pot and let it sit at room temp overnight.
- The next day, whenever you're ready, bring the mixture back to a boil. Reduce the hear to low and slowly simmer, uncovered, for about 2 hours.
- Then, turn up the heat to medium and cook for another 30 minutes. If the top is foamy, you can skim some of that off with a spoon. Continue to cook until the marmalade reaches 220 degrees F. If you want to be extra safe and be sure that it's ready, drop a spoonful on a cold plate and see if the marmalade firms up. It shouldn't be hard, but it shouldn't be runny, either. If it's not firm enough yet, cook for a few more minutes and try again. Also, keep in mind that the marmalade will be a little on the runny side the first day, but will set up a little more in the jars. (If it's too hard, add a bit more water.)
- Pour the marmalade into your clean, hot mason jars. Wipe the rims of the jars well before putting the lids on. If after a few minutes, your jars haven't sealed (the buttons in the middle of the lid should be sucked in and not move), you can turn the jars upside down and let that cook that way- that should do the trick.
- Finished jam will keep for at least a year in the pantry.
- To sterilize jars: Start with clean jars straight out of the dishwasher. (They can be mason jars or leftover jam jars or whatever. It doesn't matter much as long as you have lids.) Place the jars on their sides in the oven, straight on the rack. Heat oven to 225 degrees F for at least 20 minutes, or until you're ready to put your marmalade in them. That's all there is to it!