Homemade Blood Orange Marmalade

This marmalade combines the unique flavor of blood oranges with a hint of ginger, striking the perfect balance between sweet and bitter. A handy preserve that tastes good on toast AND glazed over chicken. Makes 8 half-pint jars.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Process Time30

Total Time1 5

Course: Pantry Staple

Keyword: blood orange marmalade, homemade blood orange marmalade, Winter

Servings: half-pint jars

Calories: 684kcal

Author: Katie

Equipment

Waterbath canner
4-quart medium saucepan
8-quart pot
Half pint jars + lids and rings
Jar lifter
Canning funnel
Ladle

Ingredients

3 pounds blood oranges 8 small to medium-sized
½ cup bottled lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
2 ½ cups water
1 1.75 oz. box powdered pectin
6 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Optional

½ teaspoon butter or margarine to reduce foaming

Instructions

Prep jars and lids. Wash the jars with hot, soapy water. Place the jars in the waterbath canner with enough water to fully submerge them. Set the burner to medium and allow the jars to simmer in hot water. Wash the lids and rings, then transfer them to a small pot filled with water. Place over low and allow the lids and rings to simmer.
Prep oranges. Cut the top and bottom off of the blood oranges. Remove the peels in small sections using a very sharp knife or a vegetable peeler.
Slice peels. Cut the peels into thin slices and set aside. You only need 2 cups of sliced peels.
Simmer. Add water, baking soda, and orange peels in a medium-sized saucepan or pot. Place the pot over medium heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
Chop. Remove the membrane (the white part) from the blood oranges. Roughly chop the blood oranges into pieces. You should have about 4 ½ cups of fruit and juice.
Simmer. Place the cut fruit and the lemon juice into a large 8-quart pot. Drain and transfer the peels to the pot. Cover and simmer the whole mixture on low for 10 minutes.
Add pectin. Add the pectin and stir until well combined. If you’re using butter, add it now. This will reduce foaming that happens during the boiling process but is not necessary.
Boil. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil for 2 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly throughout.
Add ginger and sugar. Stir in the ground ginger. Add the sugar all at once and stir to combine. Bring the mixture back up to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, and skim any foam off the top using a slotted spoon.
Fill jars and add lids. Transfer the jars from the waterbath canner to a heat-safe area. Top with a canning funnel. Ladle the hot mixture into the hot jars. Fill the jars with a ¼ inch of headspace. Wipe the jar rims with a moistened paper towel. Place the jar lid on top, followed by a ring. Tighten the rings so they are fingertip-tight.
Process jars. Transfer jars to the waterbath canner. Add a splash of white vinegar to the canner to prevent the jars from becoming cloudy (mineral build-up). Cover and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
Cool. Turn off the heat, remove the lid from the waterbath canner, and allow the jars to sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them. Transfer jars to a heat-safe space and cool for 12-24 hours.
Check seals and store. Check the lids for a proper seal by pressing on the center. The center shouldn’t pop up. Store in a cool place for up to 18 months.

Notes

You can skip the pectin in a pinch and boil the mixture until it hits a soft-ball stage (where the temperature is between 235 and 245℉).
Place a candy thermometer on the side of your pot. When the mixture hits a rapid boil, continue to stir until the mixture hits 235℉. This can take between 10-20 minutes, depending on the burner.
Do a test by placing a plate or saucer in the freezer for 10 minutes, removing it from the freezer, and dropping a small amount of marmalade on the plate. Drag your finger over the marmalade. If it stays split without running, it has cooked long enough to thicken without adding pectin.
Remember that the mixture can burn easily at this point, so you will want to stir it continuously.

Note: the nutrition facts are for 1 half-pint jar.

Nutrition