Simple Orange Marmalade Recipe, Sweet and Tart – No Pectin Added – Our Country Life (2024)

Updated 02/17/2024

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Orange marmalade recipes have been around for centuries. This marmalade has a strong nostalgic charm to it; doesn’t it remind you of something your grandma had at her house? Try this orange marmalade recipe; I am sure you will love it. I find during the citrus season, when the best-tasting fresh oranges are in stock, is the best time to make a batch or two. Even better is if my local grocery store has a good sale. For those lucky enough to reside where citrus thrives, a bountiful orange harvest from your own trees presents the perfect opportunity to make this easy orange marmalade recipe.

Oranges – I love the smell, the citrusy sweet-tart taste, and the beautiful orange color. To me, orange marmalade is sunshine in a jar, and I get joy out of seeing these beautiful jars in my pantry. They also make a wonderful hostess or holiday gift.

My love for oranges goes back to my childhood.

I am a German Immigrant, and I still remember the simple, old-fashioned Christmas holidays. Yes, they included candles that were clipped on a live Christmas tree! I remember my mom lighting them on Christmas Eve, and it seemed magical to me. Now, looking back, it is amazing that anyone lived through that era! Lighted candles on a live Christmas tree just seems crazy now to think about it.

It all began celebrating St. Nicholas Day.

My love for oranges began back then as a child celebrating St Nicholas Day on December 6th. The night before, we would put our cleaned boots outside the front door before going to bed. When we would wake up in the morning, we would find our boots filled with oranges, nuts, and candy from St Nicholas! I remember loving oranges so much.

For Christmas, I would ask my parents for an entire bag of oranges for me and one I would not have to share with my sisters. This memory lasted into my adulthood. Sadly, I do not ever remember receiving an entire bag for just me. I remember wonderful Christmases filled with toys and family, but not oranges. I am not sure anyone understood how deeply I wished for this.

As an adult, my husband, having heard my story before, filled my Christmas stocking with oranges many times! Of course, I can buy oranges anytime I want nowadays, but him putting oranges in my stocking brings back great childhood memories of Christmases in Germany.

If you’re searching for the perfect simple orange marmalade recipe, look no further!

Oranges are a great fruit choice as they naturally contain a lot of pectin, which is essential in creating marmalade. In addition to its use as a spread, orange marmalade can be used in glazes for cakes and other desserts, such as thumbprint cookies with orange marmalade. It is very tasty and elegant on vanilla ice cream with a splash of Grand Marnier. Grand Marnier is a wonderful French liquor and is a blend of Cognac brandy, bitter orange, and sugar. I like to stir the marmalade into plain yogurt or oatmeal for a sweet boost. Add to sauces and dressings. For a unique twist, it can be used as an ingredient in savory dishes like glazed salmon, pork tenderloin, or holiday ham.

Orange marmalade is also a delightful way to add sweetness and flavor to many co*cktails.

One of my favorite ways to use orange marmalade is to make my Orange Chicken recipe. This recipe is quick, simple, and so good you will never want to order it at a restaurant again. With its tangy-sweet taste, my orange chicken recipe is sure to please the palate of all who try it!

The best part of this sweet marmalade recipe is how simple it is to make. I have seen many recipes where you must boil the orange rind multiple times, let it sit overnight, etc! Some recipes take up to three days to make!! I am sure they are good recipes, but they seem more involved than I usually have time for.

This great recipe has never failed me.

What makes orange marmalade bitter? How to fix this without sacrificing its unique taste?

The Peel: The main culprit behind the bitterness of orange marmalade is the peel. Orange peels contain a substance called limonin, which gives them their characteristic bitterness. When making orange marmalade, the recipe usually calls for using both the flesh and the peel of oranges. And while the flesh adds sweetness to the jam, it’s the peel that gives it its distinct flavor. A vegetable peeler does the best job of removing only the orange zest.

The Pith: The white spongy layer between the peel and the fruit is called the pith. Pith has a strong bitter taste that can overpower the sweetness of the fruit, leading to a bitter taste in your marmalade. To avoid this, make sure to remove as much pith as possible while preparing your oranges for making the marmalade.

The Seeds: Another factor that contributes to bitterness is seeds. Orange seeds also contain limonin, which can cause bitterness when exposed to heat during cooking. Make sure to remove all seeds from your oranges before starting the marmalade-making process.

The Type of Oranges Used: The type of oranges you use can also affect the bitterness of your marmalade. Seville oranges, for example, are known for their high pectin content and bitter taste, making them a great choice for making marmalade. However, if you find that your Seville orange marmalade is still too bitter for your liking, you can try using a combination of sweet and bitter oranges to balance out the flavors or avoid Seville oranges altogether.

Using Unripe or Underripe Oranges: Using unripe or underripe oranges may contribute acidity and bitter flavors to your orange marmalade recipe because they contain more acid and less sweetness than fully ripe oranges. Always make sure to use the best-in-season, fully ripe oranges for your recipe.

The Cooking Process: Another reason your orange marmalade may be too bitter is the cooking process. Orange peels release more bitterness when they are cooked for a long time at high temperatures. To minimize this effect, try cooking your marmalade over a lower heat and stirring frequently to prevent burning.

The Sugar Content: While sugar doesn’t directly affect the bitterness of orange marmalade, it does balance out its flavors. If your recipe calls for too little sugar, then your marmalade may end up tasting overly bitter instead of sweet and tangy. On the other hand, if you add too much sugar, you risk losing some of that intense citrus flavor that makes orange marmalade so special.

The Storage: Finally, how you store your orange marmalade can also affect its bitterness. If you leave it uncovered or in direct sunlight for too long, it may oxidize and develop a more bitter taste. To prevent this from happening, store your marmalade in a clean and dry jar with an airtight lid in a cool and dark place.

Considering the above suggestions for cutting down on bitterness, boiling the peel, which renowned chef Jacques Pepin recommends, is a final option for those who can’t tolerate any bitterness.

In Jacques Pepin’s method, you are instructed to boil the orange rind three separate times: start by boiling the rind in a few cups of water for 10 minutes; thereafter, drain the water, refill with fresh water, and repeat the boiling process. After this, continue with the marmalade recipe.

What type of orange should you use to make a good marmalade?

Really, you can use any ordinary oranges you like. Many recommend bitter Seville oranges since they can be too bitter to eat raw. I do like to use organic oranges whenever possible. I have made this marmalade with the following varieties of oranges with great results.

• Navel oranges
• Bitter oranges – Sevilles
• Blood oranges
• Cara Cara oranges
• Mandarin oranges

The recipe is simple and only has the following ingredients:

3 pounds or about 8 oranges. You can use your favorite orange. Organic is best since you are using the peel.

1 lemon, preferably a Meyer lemon (2-3 Tablespoons)

3 cups white sugar

1 Teaspoon of butter; this is optional. Butter helps reduce foaming when you are making the marmalade if needed.

Additional items needed to make this orange marmalade recipe: Jars for finished marmalade and a thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, place a couple of saucer plates in the freezer (before making the marmalade) and see the Plate Test Tip below.

To Make Orange Marmalade – No pectin added.

1. Wash oranges well – use organic if possible.
2. Take a vegetable peeler and peel zest from oranges.
3. Julienne zests into fine slivers about an inch long.
4. Cut oranges in half.
5. Cut the pith from the orange halves.
6. Dice orange segments. Place the diced oranges and the juice from cutting the oranges into a measuring cup. Add enough water (if needed) until it measures out to two cups.
7. Add orange segments, sugar, the lemon juice of one lemon, and finely slivered orange peel into a heavy-bottom large pot.
8. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for approx. 20-30 minutes until your candy thermometer reaches 220-221 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a thermometer, see the plate test tip below. I notice I get more consistent results with a thermometer and tend not to over or under-cook this easy marmalade recipe.
9. Take the marmalade off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of butter to the orange mixture, if needed to reduce foaming, and stir well.
10. Pour the marmalade into sterilized half-pint jars. Wipe the rims of the jar to remove any dripped marmalade and seal with the lids. Once cooled, store in the refrigerator. This homemade marmalade will seem runny at first. It takes orange marmalade with its natural pectin 24-48 hours to set-up. Orange marmalade will store well in the refrigerator for a month or two.

Cold-Plate Test:

After cooking marmalade for 20-30 minutes, place a small amount of hot marmalade on a frozen plate. Put the plate back into the freezer for a minute or two. Remove the plate from the freezer and run your finger through the marmalade. It should stay separated and not run. If still runny, cook for a few more minutes and test again.

Orange marmalade has a good shelf life without canning. Once opened, I would recommend storing it in your refrigerator. For safe long-term storage, preserve the marmalade using the water bath method.

For long term storage of orange marmalade.

Now, the delicious marmalade in their jars can be added to a hot water bath if you want to preserve them for a long time, longer than a month or two.

It takes orange marmalade with its natural pectin 24-48 hours to set-up after the hot jars are removed from the hot water bath.

To Water Bath Orange Marmalade for long-term storage:

1. Fill the hot marmalade into hot pre-sterilized jars, leaving ¼” headspace. Wipe the rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel. Apply and adjust prepared canning lids.

2. Process filled jars in a boiling water canner according to the recommendations in Table 1 from the National Center for Home Preservation. (If there is a partial jar, refrigerate and enjoy freshly made.)

3. Let processed jars cool, undisturbed, for 24-48 hours and check for seals.

Enjoy these wonderful jars of sunshine!! It is a good thing!! Also, try my Orange Chicken recipe using this homemade orange marmalade…so yummy! Let me know what you think in the comments below.

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• Lemon Curd Recipe
• How to make Homemade Garden Huckleberry Jelly
• Zesty Apricot Mandarin Cranberry Sauce

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