January and February are the ideal months to make marmalade as Seville oranges are in the shops. Here is a round up of the three Seville orange marmalade recipes I have on my site – Ginger Marmalade, Oxford Marmalade and the standard Seville Orange Marmalade.
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Seville Oranges
Seville oranges were first brought to Seville from Asia during the 12th century and became a symbol for the city. They now line many of the streets in Seville, providing welcome shade during the hot summer months. They cannot really be eaten raw as they have a sour or bitter taste so are commonly used in cooking or juicing and zesting.
Seville oranges are harvested in Spain from November onwards but the demand for them here in Britain is in January and February, the time when people like to make their marmalade. Britain is by far the biggest market for these bitter fruits that taste more like lemons than sweet oranges.
Even though the vast majority of Seville oranges are used to make marmalade the food writer Bee Wilson makes the point that ‘we don’t realise that we hold in our hands something whose sour juice could enliven all our meals‘.
Equipment you will need to make these marmalades
Apart from the usual kitchen items and tools you will ideally need a maslin pan or preserving pan (see this maslin pan if you have an induction hob). A maslin pan is a traditional pot for making jams, marmalade and preserves. It is a heavy pan with a thick base and sides and has a teacup-like shape. Maslin actually means mixture! The website Chef’s Pick has more information about them as well as a lot of very useful general information for a home chef. You will also need to some sterilised jars – see below for how to sterilise the jars.
However, if you don’t have a preserving pan or can’t get hold of one you can use a heavy bottomed pan.
How to Sterilise Jars
To sterilise the jars wash with hot soapy water, rinse thoroughly and then put them in the oven at 140°C / 120°C fan / Gas Mark 1 on a baking sheet to dry completely.
If you are using Kilner jars, boil the rubber seals separately, as dry heat damages them.
Sterilising the jars correctly will ensure that bacteria are removed, preventing them from becoming spoiled.
Here are the three recipes:
Ginger Marmalade
My mother used to make Ginger Marmalade for my aunt who was very partial to ginger. I didn’t have her recipe, so I was on my third batch before I made a marmalade that tasted similar to the one I remember her making.
It has a lovely subtle ginger flavour with an extra ginger zing if you bite into a piece of crystallised ginger. The ginger doesn’t overpower the orange flavour of the marmalade but gives an extra dimension to the taste.
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Ginger Marmalade Ingredients
2 pounds / 1 kilogram Seville oranges (washed and dried)
8 ounces / 250 grams crystallised ginger cut into small pieces.1 large or 2 small unwaxed lemons
8 ounces / 250 grams prepared fresh ginger, either grated or finely chopped
4 ½ pints / 3.25 litres water
4 pounds / 2 kilograms granulated sugar
8 ounces / 250 grams crystallised ginger cut into small pieces
Oxford Marmalade
Oxford Marmalade is a darker chunkier marmalade than Seville Orange Marmalade and is made in a different way. The whole oranges are cooked first and then cut up.
I found it an easier method than the one I use for my Ginger Marmalade and Seville Orange Marmalade, but it had a lower yield – just over 5 pounds rather than the 6 pounds. Oxford Marmalade also uses a percentage of dark brown sugar rather than all white.
Oxford Marmalade ingredients
2 pounds Seville oranges (preferably organic)
1 unwaxed lemon
4 pints water
3 pounds granulated sugar
1 pound soft dark brown sugar
Seville Orange Marmalade
This is the version I remember making as a child. My mother always made Seville Orange Marmalade and as soon as I was old enough to be trusted with a sharp knife I was allowed to help. I have many memories of the kitchen filled with the scent of oranges, love and laughter. My mother passed her skills and traditions to me and I am now passing them on to the next generation.
This Seville Orange Marmalade recipe is a little more effort to make than the Oxford Marmalade, but it does produce a bigger yield and has a lighter colour.
Seville Orange Marmalade Ingredients
2 pounds / 1 kilo Seville Oranges
1 unwaxed lemon
4 ½ pints / 3 litres water
4 pounds / 2 kilos granulated sugar
Bergamot Marmalade
Bergamots, the citrus fruit used to flavour Earl Grey tea also make an excellent marmalade but are not as readily available as Seville oranges. I got some direct from the growers in Corigliano Calabro in Italy through CrowdFarming.
I am hoping to create a Bergamot Marmalade recipe soon, but if you would like to have a go at making this marmalade you could try simply substituting the bergamots for the Seville oranges in my Seville Orange Marmalade recipe. I have found that it works quite well.
Making homemade marmalade is quite time consuming but it is definitely worth the effort. If you want to reduce the amount of time as much as possible then try the Oxford Marmalade recipe.
Until next time.
Tanya
