I love food lore and how so many traditions ring in the new year with something sweet. Like eating honey and apples at Rosh Hashanah or moon cakes at Chinese New Year. But the truth is that life isn’t all sugar and spice and everything nice. There’s a little bitterness in there, which is what makes it interesting, and also makes you appreciate the sweetness. That’s why this marmalade is, to me, a more accurate reflection of the year to come. It’s honest, yet optimistic—more sweet than sour.
Well, it was supposed to be marmalade. But when my marmalade didn’t feel like gel-ing, it became syrup instead. It was still delicious.
But you, you can get it right. Here you go:
Thre-Citrus Marmalade
Yield: Three 500 mL jars + one 250mL jar (or seven 250 mL jars)
Ingredients:
6 pink grapefruit
3 lemons
6 cups sugar
4 cups zest (from the grapefruit and lemon)
Instructions:
Wash and dry the fruit. Use a vegetable peeler to zest the fruit then cut the strips into fine slivers. Put slices in a pot with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the temperature to medium-high and simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the white pith from the fruit and “supreme” the fruit by removing the fruit from the membrane. Place fruit in a small bowl and tie the membrane and seeds in a cheesecloth.
After 30 minutes, drain the zest, reserving the liquid. In a large pot (the same one works), combine the zest, fruit pieces from the small bowl, 4 cups of the zest-cooking liquid, 6 cups of sugar and the tightly-tied cheesecloth.
Bring to a boil and cook until the mixture reaches 220 degrees Fahrenheit (or passes the freezer test). This takes 30-40 minutes. Don’t reduce the temperature of the jam unless it’s starting to burn, but regular stirring should prevent this.
When the marmalade is ready, remove the pot from the heat and stir for one minute to distribute the zest. Add the clean lids to a small pot of hot water to soften. Quickly fill the sterilized jars with marmalade, remove air bubbles, wipe rims, apply lids and tighten screw rings to finger-tip tight.
Place in waterbath canner covered with at least one inch of water above the top of the jars. Bring to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, set a timer for five minutes. You can reduce the heat to medium-high or leave it, as long as the water stays at a boil.
After five minutes, remove the pot from the heat. Remove the jars for the water and let cool completely on towels. When the jars are cool, check the seals by pushing down on the top of the lid. The lid shouldn’t move. If it does, keep the marmalade in the fridge. It will last for up to two months, as will the properly sealed jars once opened.
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