Homemades jams are so easy to make, and so utterly fantastic. This Tangerine Marmelade is no exception.
Tangerine Marmelade
Course: Condiments5
cupsBecause the ratios are simple, this recipe is easy to increase or decrease, depending on how many tangerines you have.
Ingredients
3 lbs tangerines (about 18), unpeeled, washed, stem-ends trimmed
2 small lemons (optional), unpeeled, washed, both ends trimmed
6 cups water
4 cups granulated sugar
3 Tbs Grand Marnier (optional)
3/8 tsp nutmeg (optional)
Directions
- Prep the tangerines and lemons by cutting them crosswise into thin slices, or by chopping them, or by removing the peel, slicing it into matchsticks, and chopping rest of the fruit, or by using a food processor on them. In each case, remove the seeds as you go or before you process.
- Place a small (preferably white) plate in freezer. In a large pot, bring tangerines, lemons, and water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook at a rapid simmer until tangerine peels are tender, 20 minutes.
- Add sugar, increase heat to medium-high, and stir until sugar dissolves (which should happen almost instantly). Raise the heat to high to return to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and darkens slightly. To test for doneness, drop a spoonful on frozen plate and freeze 2 minutes. Marmalade is done if it has a slight film that wrinkles when pushed with a finger. If it spreads out and thins immediately, continue cooking.
- (Off heat, stir in Grand Marnier and nutmeg.)
- Transfer marmalade to airtight containers, cover, and let cool completely.
Notes
Intro
Enjoy on toast, of course. Or use it to glaze ham, pork, or chicken. Goes great with cheese. Make gin marmelade. Stir it into your morning oatmeal. Stir gin marmelade into your morning oatmeal on the weekend.
Social Learning
This is an easy recipe, except for one thing: figuring out exactly when it’s done. I suggest you stick a candy thermometer into the pot as soon as you’ve lowered the temperature in Step 3. When the mixture reaches 255°F, you should start testing. These initial tests should fail, but this will ensure that your first positive result isn’t overcooked. Once you get your first positive, you can immediately test again (as the mixture continues to boil) to verify, but if you continue much further past that point, you’ll overcook and possibly burn the marmelade. Remember that your test results don’t show you the finished texture. They merely indicate that you’ve reached the set point. The mixture will thicken significantly as it cools.
The optional Grand Marnier provides depth. The touch of nutmeg gives the marmelade an absolutely lovely finish.
Consider adding whiskey (interesting), or ginger liquor (delicious, but be very shy about adding it … a little goes a long way). Consider making a “black” marmelade by swapping brown sugar for the granualted, or via the addition of molasses.
If you decide to slice the tangerines instead of chopping them, and you’re very careful and delicate about stirring while it’s cooking, the slices will stay pretty much intact in the finished marmalade, which might be nice if you’re intending it for some kind of pretty use, like decorating a cake.
The Backstory
Tangerine season seems short. This is a beautiful way to extend it. Plus, tangerine is just so decidedly not orange. Be unexpected!
Tangerine Marmelade
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! unless otherwise credited. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. Thank you, Kesor. Reference: Cookist, Food.com, Martha, The Happy Food Company, The Spruce Eats. Log Cabin Cooking has a much more refined method. Make It Like a Man! is ranked by Feedspot as #15 in the Top 30 Men’s Cooking Blogs.
Keep up with us on Bloglovin’
