Bitter Orange Marmalade, Turning Inedible to Yummy
Bitter oranges may be close to inedible, but they do make the absolute best marmalade on the planet. Follow the easy steps for my tried and true bitter orange marmalade.
The first time I came to the South of France for a visit, I discovered an orange tree growing behind the cabin where I eventually moved to. I was so excited…until I tasted one. The bitter taste was so unexpected that my eyeballs just about popped out of my head. I managed to squeak out one word, “Marmalade!”
Oranges – Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay
This particular area has bitter orange trees growing all over the place. Some towns even have them lining the streets. I used to forage the oranges when the tree behind the cabin didn’t produce fruit for a while, but recently I moved. There are two trees in the garden absolutely laden with fruit – at least they were. A lot of bitter orange marmalade has come out of the kitchen.
How to Make Bitter Orange Marmalade
Step 1. Choose your oranges
Look for fruits without any green on them. It’s very important that the oranges haven’t been sprayed with anything.
Pick eight to twelve, depending on their size. I always take a couple extra just in case one is bad.
Give them a good wash to get rid of any dust.
The lemons in the photo are for lemonade, so ignore them.
Step 2. Prepare the peel.
There are two ways of doing this. The first is to peel the fruit and then scrape the pith away from the back of the skin with a teaspoon. The second method is to use a vegetable peeler to take off the rind and then peel the oranges afterwards.
I prefer the second method, because it’s less time consuming and I can get a really thin sliver of peel without any of the bitter pith.
Step 3. Prepare the pulp.
Once the oranges have been peeled, slice them and put them into a large pot. Put all the pips in with them as they contain a lot of the gelling agent.
Measure out 1.375ml (5 1/2 cups) of water and add that to the pot.
Bring to a simmer and leave until the fruit is soft and falls apart when you test it with a wooden spoon.
Step 4. Slice the peel.
While the pulp is cooking, start slicing the peel into thin slivers with a sharp knife. Keep aside in a small bowl.
Step 5. Drain the pulp.
When the pulp is ready, pour it through a jelly bag or a cloth-lined colander and let it drip through. Don’t squeeze the cloth if you want jewel-clear marmalade.
I have used a fine sieve before and the marmalade still came out clear.
Once the juice has stopped dripping through the cloth, then it’s time for the next step.
Step 6. Making the bitter orange marmalade.
Pour the juice into a large clean saucepan and toss the thinly sliced peel in. Next, measure 1kg (2.2 lb) of sugar and put that into the saucepan. Over a medium heat, dissolve the sugar, stirring often.
Let the mixture simmer over a low heat until the gel stage.
Step 7. Steralise the jars.
This recipe makes about 4 jars of marmalade. Choose which jars you are going to use and put them into a pot of water to cover. Let them and their lids boil for about 10 minutes.
When you are ready to use them, remove the jars with a pair of tongs and put onto a wooden board. Take care not to burn yourself when you tip the hot water out of them.
Step 8. Checking for the gel stage.
Once the marmalade has reduced a bit in volume, start checking periodically for gelling.
Put a small dab of liquid on a cold saucer and put into the fridge for a minute or so. If the surface wrinkles when you push with your finger, then it is very close. Keep on checking.
As soon as the surface wrinkles and the dab holds its shape, then it’s time to take it off the heat and bottle it in hot sterilised jars.
Step 9. Putting into the jars.
Take great care not to burn yourself when pouring the hot marmalade into the jars. I use a large ladle and cover the jar with a tea towel and hold it tightly like a handle. That way no lava-hot stuff can spill onto my hand.
Put the lids on and when all the jars are filled, go back and make sure that the lids are on properly. Hold the jar with a tea towel, because it will still be hot and so will the lid.
Leave the jars on the wooden board to cool completely.
Label and store in a cupboard.
Recipe
8 – 10 organic bitter oranges
1.250 litres (5 1/2 cups) water
1 kg (2.2 lb) sugar
Wash the oranges to remove dust. Peel very thinly with a vegetable peeler, leaving the bitter pith behind. Peel the pith off and slice the oranges. Put into a large saucepan with the water. Bring to the boil and simmer until the pulp is soft. Pour through a cloth-lined colander and leave it until it stops dripping. Stir the sugar into the juice and place over a medium heat. Stir until dissolved and then simmer over a low heat until the gelling stage has been reached. Ladle into hot, sterilised jars, seal, and allow to cool. Store in a cool place.
©Kerry Biddle, 2021
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