Bitter oranges or Seville sours are ready to pick from mid December and the season lasts until early March. Usually available in the shops and markets from the first full week of January until early February. For the best results, source organic fruit as soon as you can.
Kept to manageable quantities squeezing, juicing and shredding sour oranges is a rewarding ritual.
For our recipe, to make traditional Seville orange marmalade, you will need…
To make 6 x 450 g (1lb) jars you will need:
6 x 450 g (1lb) jam jars new or recycled and sterilised with new food safe lids
8 litre (approx. 16 pints) stainless steel pan with lid
Clean muslin square and kitchen string
675g (1lb 8oz) Seville oranges
1 large unwaxed lemon
Approximately 1350g (3lb) granulated cane sugar
1.75 litres (3pints) water
Method
Wash oranges and lemon, cut oranges in half and squeeze juice. Reserve juice in pan.
Remove lemon zest, wrap well and freeze to use another time. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice. Reserve.
Line a bowl with muslin square and reserve pips.
Cut orange halves once more so that the peel is in quarters.
Carefully remove the membranes using side of a teaspoon and finely by hand or use a processor adding a little of the water if necessary.
Add chopped membranes with reserved pips. Secure inside muslin square using kitchen string. Add this to the pan.
Slice orange peel to your preferred thickness. Add these to pan along with the water. Replace lid and leave to soak overnight.
The following day, place pan on AGA boiling plate or over a high heat on your conventional hob. Bring water to the boil. Remove lid and reduce heat. Simmer oranges until peel is soft and tender and the volume of liquid has reduced by one third. Alternatively transfer pan to your AGA simmering oven to cook peel.
Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of your peel and cooking method. Check the pan regularly.
Once peel is tender, remove muslin bag and discard contents to compost heap. Measure volume of liquid remaining including peel. Calculate 450g (1lb) sugar for every half litre (1 pint) of liquid.
Pre heat oven 140 C or Gas Mark 1 and prepare to sterilise jars – see cook’s tips.
Warm sugar in conventional oven or pop into AGA simmering oven.
Place orange slices and liquid into a clean pan over medium heat on conventional hob or on the AGA simmering plate.
Add warmed sugar and stir slowly until completely dissolved.
Increase heat on conventional hob or transfer pan to your AGA boiling plate. Bring contents of pan to a rapid boil. Do not stir but watch carefully and test for setting after five minutes of rapid boiling. If using a sugar thermometer the marmalade should reach 104.5 C for setting point.
Remove from heat and allow to stand for at least five minutes. If necessary remove any scum at this stage.
Stir gently to distribute peel. Pot and seal.
Date and label the marmalade when it is cold.
Notes for AGA cooks
To make marmalade using a traditional AGA take care to maintain the stored heat required to achieve a successful set.
Take advantage of the simmering oven to soften and cook the shredded peel as well as warm the sugar and jam jars.
Keep the boiling plate down until you need the high temperature to bring the fruit pulp and dissolved sugar to setting point.
Tips and tricks for making great marmalade…
- For the best set when creating preserves at home, resist the temptation to double the recipe. For larger quantities the capacity and temperature of a commercial stove is needed to create consistent results.
- It budget allows source organic Seville oranges for the best flavour and setting quality.
- For a clear gel and improved setting qualities buy cane sugar rather than beet.
- Always make sure that the sugar is completely dissolved before you raise the temperature
- Sterilise recycled screw top jam jars and buy new lids for optimum storage.
How to sterilise jam jars
- Recycle glass jars and wash thoroughly in very hot water.
- Allow jars to dry naturally and then sterilise in a preheated oven set above 85 C for fifteen minutes.
- Buy new lids to ensure that you create a good seal when the marmalade is potted up. Read more preserving tips here:
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