Marmalade
Here and elsewhere I've mentioned that I can. This started several years ago when I had extra rasberry jam and decided to try and put it up.
Since then I've done a lot of marmalade, but recent batches while they taste fine, were all brown. I decided to experiment to see if I could improve the color.
First part of the mise
That is three pounds of lemons and five pounds of limes.
Which need to be cut up for the food processor.
And above is the whole 8 lbs.
Add 6 quarts of sugar and one more gallon of water.
And boil.
Now here I changed technique, once it got above 212 I seperated it into smaller pans and let each heat to 223 individually. I did get a light color and it did gel enough for me.
That is one cup. I did add one drop of green food coloring after I took this, but didn't like the color as much so didn't add any more. I don't think one drop in about 3 gallons will make much difference. Right now it is resting, but I will probably can it tomorrow.
Since then I've done a lot of marmalade, but recent batches while they taste fine, were all brown. I decided to experiment to see if I could improve the color.
First part of the mise
That is three pounds of lemons and five pounds of limes.
Which need to be cut up for the food processor.
And sliced with the 2 mm slicing disk.
And above is the whole 8 lbs.
It now gets a gallon of cold water added and left to sit overnight in the reefer.
Add 6 quarts of sugar and one more gallon of water.
And boil.
Now here I changed technique, once it got above 212 I seperated it into smaller pans and let each heat to 223 individually. I did get a light color and it did gel enough for me.
That is one cup. I did add one drop of green food coloring after I took this, but didn't like the color as much so didn't add any more. I don't think one drop in about 3 gallons will make much difference. Right now it is resting, but I will probably can it tomorrow.
I so hope that all works out for you, it's an awful lot of fruit. We get some brown jam from time to time, more as a result of not watching carefully enough and overheating it. Marmalade is one of my faves.
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A lot of this will get given away. I enjoy the process and people seem to enjoy home made stuff a lot.
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That's an awful lot of marmalade to cook at one time – especially since it looks as though you're using a residential stove. The long cooking required to get it to gel temp. is caramelizing the sugar – that's why it's turning brown (and I'm guessing it tastes caramelized, too?).
When I make marmalade (and I have a wimpy-ass stove, mind you), I never try to gel more than 2 quarts at a time, and I use a broad copper jam pan. I also find that 217/218°F is my preferred temp for gelling – if I go higher than that, the set seems stiff and rubbery. Also, I've had marmalade take 2 weeks to gel completely once it was canned.
Hope that helps.
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Setting up for canning for four pints is work, I would rather do more than that. And I'm specifically looking for methods of doing this sized batch.
However the additional step of using small batches once I got the mixture to boiling is functionally the same as making a small batch and it did come out light in color.
The brown would have to come from carmelization, but I'm not talking about enough to taste, at least I don't. As well I'm not speaking of a dark brown, simply that lemon and lime came out brownish, but about the same luminance as orange.
If I don't take it to 222-223 I end up with very syrupy preserves and some of my jars have been setting for over a year. Ill use them, but not for gifts.
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Looks delicious!!
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Marmalade sounds very labor intensive and exacting...How long is the whole process?
Again, the things you do absolutely amaze me.
Kim
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It is in steps but I would imagine that a 1/4 or 1/8 recipe might take a total of 3 hours, most of it simply pot watching.
I've never tried that small, but a 1/2 recipe works just fine.
One can 'can' this stuff with just Ball jars and a pot that covers them in water by an inch, but it will also keep in a jar(s) in the fridge for months.
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I really enjoy your canning info, especially on the beef stock. I'll have to get brave and try this one!
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This makes 16 pints of marmalde, so a reduced recipe is probably a good idea. I will be doing other flavors later in the summer, ffall. Local fruits are coming in, and they take precedence over citrus.
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I actually have a box of pectin in my pantry from about 6 years ago. I have no idea why I bought it, but at least now maybe I'll do something with it. Given that, and the Meyer lemon tree in my yard, I have no more excuses.
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