Perfect Seville orange marmalade recipe
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Jam Jelly and Preserves | 265 comments
As the topping for the best slice of toast of the day, good marmalade is a joy. We like it dark, chunky, hand cut and never in moderation.
Marmalade was the first preserve that we made. We were so proud of it that we could hardly bear to move it from the worktop to the larder, let alone eat it. Eventually we opened the first jar and lavished it on slice after slice of hot buttered toast.
We immediately christened it Intellectual Marmalade as so much ground work, research and care had gone into its manufacture. Visitors who spotted the label were wary of it at breakfast. Would it somehow have an effect on the brain? When they saw us slopping it onto our toast they happily did the same. No one ever mentioned the name.
We like dark old fashioned marmalade. We couldn’t find a recipe for this so we based our recipe on the classic Seville Orange Marmalade in Delia’s Complete Illustrated Cookery Course
Marmalade can be a bit of a palaver. It starts with hunting down and bagging the fruit. Despite many forays I couldn’t find any Seville oranges this year. Just as I was about to give up I saw them twinkling out in the Cambridge market on Monday. Investing my small change in three kilos of the fruit, I staggered back to the car park with just enough cash to release Jalopy from the gloomy depths.
Having made no notes on the timings of our Intellectual Marmalade recipe, I couldn’t face another day/night of babysitting the bubbling vats. I was determined to find the best old fashioned marmalade recipe, with proper timings. A couple of days ago I discovered a Dark Chunky Marmalade recipe on Delia Online. It’s made in two steps, so it’s great if you are working full time as you can spread the process over two evenings (I would recommend a spreading the task over a weekend unless your evening starts at 15.00 hours). Seville oranges will survive happily in the fridge for at least a week. They keep for months in the freezer and, if you have the room, you can stash them and make fresh marmalade throughout the year.
We have finally made Delia’s Dark Chunky Marmalade. We combined her recipe with our method and simmered ours for a good six hours before setting point was reached. It looks divine and tastes even better than my mum’s. I’m amazed that Paddington Bear hasn’t dropped by.
N.B. If you try this recipe, the poaching liquid is used in the final marmalade. The recipe isn’t very clear on this point and I found the answer in the DeliaOnline forum (press the Community button on her site to access this great resource). Also you need a very large pot! To stop all the peel rising to the top of the jars let the marmalade cool a little before bottling in sterlised jars.
Update January 14th 2011
We now have several new recipes for Seville orange marmalade to suit every taste:
A super three fruit marmalade. A best seller on our gateside stand.
Easy Seville orange marmalade. This fine shredded marmalade is a classic and gets the thumbs up from my mum and is really easy to make!
Seville orange and quince marmalade. Lots of deep flavours in this orange and quince mix.
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Hi Judi
I’m not sure if the marmalade is too thick or thin (sorry!). If too thin, ie it pours, put it all back in the pan with the juice of two lemons (as suggested by others more experienced than me), and reboil to get a set. If too thick, add a little hot water to each jar as you use it – and use a knife or spoon [and time] to mix it up a bit.
Good luck!
Hi
What a lovely site of fellow marmalade enthusiasts.
I have been making marmalade for about 20 years.
This year .. DISASTER
Wont set. Cant think what has gone wrong…
I am going to try re-boiling and adding some more lemon but its so frustrating. !
Not sure if I can get any more sevilles now either…]
happy marmalade days everyone.
Hi Judi
If you used preserving sugar it should have set because the sugar has added pectin. Maybe you did not boil long enough? Try again but use 1kg Sevilles to 2kg Granulated sugar, there should be enough pectin in the sevilles.Add 1-2 lemons. Did you soften the skins?
Get back to us.
Regarding lids
If you use a new lid, fill jar to brim with preserve and put new sterilised lid on. This creates a good seal as the jar and preserve cool down, creating an air tight fit.There is no need to put wax discs on, you may be adding germs to a sterile preserve.
Also a lidded preserve will last longer, that is if you dont eat it!!
My first ever batch of seville marmalade is now 24 hours old. I used Mary Berry’s recipe and was really pleased with the look and taste as I poured it into the jars last night. I couldn’t wait to try it when I got home from work this evening but was really disappointed to find that it has a thick syrupy and very sticky consistency. Any ideas on where I’ve gone wrong, could it be that there is too much sugar? – I used preserving sugar 3kg, 1.5kgs seville oranges, 2 lemons and 4 pints water.I would really like to make some more but don’t want to make the same mistake again.
I have used the recipe from the River Cafe Green book. It gives lovely dark and not to sweet marmalade. The only problem is that it is not clear on whether the marmalade should be set or not. The first year I set it according to normal practise (wrinkling) last year I did it as per the recipe so it was a bit watery but still had great flavour.
Take a quantity of seville oranges – I would not do large quantities as it is a little labour intensive. You soak your washed oranges for 24-48 hours to soften and expand the skins. You then put the oranges into thick bottom saucepan cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, lid on askew and simmer for 3-4 hours or until completely soft. Do not let fluid completely evaporate add a drop of water as needed. Remove from the heat and cool. Take oranges out put pan and remaining juices to one side(not that much). Cut each orange in half and remove seeds and tough fibres. Roughly cut flesh into 1cm pieces. Weigh this orange pulp and put back into saucepan. Measure out 2/3 of the orange pulp weight in caster sugar. Add return to heat and gently bring to boil stirring to prevent sticking and help the sugar to dissolve (I heat sugar) Turn heat down a little and simmer for about 30 minutes. The jam should be dense and dark in colour. At this point I test for setting point and cook for longer if I want it slightly less fluid. Cool for 5 minutes and spoon into your sterilised jars. It may seem a bit of a fiddle but the jam is just fab.
Claire..I would be very suspicious of any claims made for ORGANIC Seville oranges…
SAMANTHA..the principle for steaming fruit with the Lakeland and Mahu steamers allows the steamed juice to be collected in the second container for drawing off. The water is contained in the third and bottom pan. I don’t think your steamer has three compartments. My Lakeland steamer is stainless steel but the Mahu is aluminium. The Mahu can still be purchased under the name Mahu LIISA but for over £100 which is why the Lakeland offer is so fantastic. The Lakeland steamer can be used in the ordinary manner but there will always be juice collected from whatever is being steamed. Beetroot steamed gives a pleasant juice. Chicken stock is a real bonus as well as bacon stock. If the pennies are there I would urge you to take advantage of the Lakeland offer.
hi and thanks for all fabulous tips and ideas; have just jarred first ever batch and feel very proud! Your advice helped me realise how crucial the last stages were – hopefully in time !
Wanted to mention River Nene Organics (also Riverford their sister company in south west)as a source of oranges; they are organic fruit, veg and meat producers and suppliers, deliver to the door and I highly recommend them. They are currently offering a ‘marmalade kit’ which is 1.5kg seville oranges, 2 lemons for around £3 from memory. This may be a little more expensive, but biting into organic peel has to be a good thing in my opinion!
So, I am hooked and will try another batch this week. Thanks again for making this an even more enjoyable experience. ( Is there a term for an insatiable desire to make preserves ? :))
Ronald, re the juice extractor; I’ve just looked at the Lakeland website, but do you know what the extractor is made from as it doesn’t say. Is it any different to a regular 3 tier steaming system apart from the tap? I wanted to know whether I can utilise the steamer I already have.
Many thanks.
Thank you Seahorse thats what I was doing. But I was reading on one site, you wait until it was cold, before putting your disc, and lid on.
WOW!!! Lakeland preserving juice extractor half price. I urge you to grab it pronto..the best kitchen investment you will make. Into fruit jellies..no more drip drip through muslin. Pure hot sterilized juice straight from the extractor. Into soups. steam your bacon joint and drain from the extractor your stock for Potato and leek soup. Into wine making, again hot sterilized juice from your grapes. Here is my recipe for the marmalade I have just made. 3lbs of seville oranges..Two lemons and a pink grapefruit. Cut into halves and place in the steamer cut side down. Steam for two hours. Let cool. Take out all inside from the skins. Place this into a large saucepan. Simmer this for half an hour to extract all the pectin. This avoids the messy pipps in a muzlin bag. Strain and seive the pulp and add to juice from extractor. Should be about three pints, maybe less. make up to five pints. Cut peel to size required. Place all in preserving pan. Add six pounds of sugar and stir in. bring to rolling boil until set. This quantity might mean two goes in the pan. Adjust quantities as required.