Marmalade time!

[french frank]

Yes. Best to get in the right mood first!

[Flosshilde]

Beautiful! I bought a kilo of oranges and two lemons . So I should need about 10 jars ...

I'll give it a go on Saturday. If I don't mention how I got on, please don't ask

Best of luck ff; I'm sure it will be wonderful

[Dave2002]

Good alert this, so now I'll have to check supplies. We had an overproduction one year recently so had to skip a year. We usually have two or three different recipes, including one reinforced with alcohol. We've had varying textures, from solid, almost like araldite to runny, so only get it right about 80% of the time.

One disappointment was pink grapefruit marmalade. You can try it if you like, but it's either tasteless or genteelly delicate depending on your point of view. Not recommended!

[french frank]

Well, I'm almost ready to go, but there is one thing that I'm still wondering about:

Is there a recommended way for transferring the marmalade from the pan into the little jars?

[Don Petter]

Well, I'm almost ready to go, but there is one thing that I'm still wondering about:

Is there a recommended way for transferring the marmalade from the pan into the little jars?

You haven't got a jam funnel!

I thought everyone had one (and we don't make jam). Really useful for such things as filling the birds' peanut feeders and feeding the broken up leaves into jars for birch leaf tea.

(It's an aluminium funnel 5.5 inches across the top and 2 inches across the neck. That's the size of ours, anyway - just measured it.)

[french frank]

You haven't got a jam funnel!

I thought everyone had one (and we don't make jam). Really useful for such things as filling the birds' peanut feeders and feeding the broken up leaves into jars for birch leaf tea.

(It's an aluminium funnel 5.5 inches across the top and 2 inches across the neck. That's the size of ours, anyway - just measured it.)

Oh, dear. I'm glad I asked. I don't have one that narrow. Mine are for pouring liquids, so I don't think a thickish marmalade would go through very well.

Hmmm. This might cause a slight delay in the timetable

[David Underdown]

You can just spoon it in, which is what we normally do.

[subcontrabass]

Well, I'm almost ready to go, but there is one thing that I'm still wondering about:

Is there a recommended way for transferring the marmalade from the pan into the little jars?

I think my mother just used a cup or a small jug, with the last bits poured directly with the assistance of a spoon.

[Flosshilde]

(It's an aluminium funnel 5.5 inches across the top and 2 inches across the neck. That's the size of ours, anyway - just measured it.)

It's also very squat, with the bit that goes into the jar about .5 - 1 inch deep, & the funnel bit about 1 - 2 inches deep.

As others say you can use a small jug, or I use a soup ladle (as well as the funnel).

Make sure that your jars are well washed, & warm them in the oven - otherwise they might break when you put the hot marmalade in. If you have the screw lids for them put the lids on while the marmalade is still hot, & then tighten. The cooling marmalade will create a slight vacuum, giving a reasonable seal.

Oh, & before you pot it up, leave it to stand for a few minutes & then stir it to make sure the peel is evenly distributed.

Good luck!

[MickyD]

No less than ten pages on the art of marmalade making - I find this rather reassuring!

[BBMmk2]

My mother makes the best m,armalde ever!! I must get her recipe!!

[Don Petter]

No less than ten pages on the art of marmalade making - I find this rather reassuring!

For some of us it's only three, but equally reassuring.

[Ferretfancy]

My last marmalade comment -promise! It's important to sterilise the jars. If you don't you may get mould, especially if the sugar content is high. If you have a microwave, put a tablespoonful of boiling water in each jar and microwave for 5 minutes. As long as the jar lids have a plastic lining face upwards you can put them in as well.
Then pot the marmalade, I never bother with those little greaseproof paper circles.

[Don Petter]

Whole page article in today’s Times about marmalade. It seems it was thought that consumption was waning as sales have fallen, but the reality is that more people are making their own. They’re not kidding, it seems.

The recipe they give has only a 2:1 sugar to orange ratio, but does include whisky.

[BBMmk2]

Ah, whisky in marmalade!! I love that!!