Marmalades

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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
My brother made a respectable marmalade with the traditional Seville oranges.

So I decided to try my hand at making lime marmalade.

I found a dozen x 250ml jars with rings and snap cap seal lids.
The jars went into the oven at 300F and the snap cap lids went into a bowl of boiling water.

2 1/2lbs limes (that's about 11 of them)
Fine slice those, picking out seeds if any.
Into a non-metallic pot with 8C water and into the fridge overnight (why? I don't know).
Next day in a big pot, cook that at a nice bubble/boil for 45 minutes.

Measure this goop hot and add an equal amount of sugar, stirring well to
dissolve.

When you think that's done, turn up the heat for a wild rolling boil for 15 minutes.
Off the heat, load the jars on a sheet pan (in case one breaks), add the assembled lids to cool.

That's it. So stupidly simple that I could do it. Limes, water & sugar. Nothing else needed.
Despite being 1/2 sugar, there was still a good lime tang and flavor.
 

JamPan

Forager
Jun 8, 2017
245
1
Yorkshire
Sounds great. I do love lime marmalade on toast. :)

I made a quince marmalade many years ago when I had a garden with a quince bush. That made a lovely sharp marmalade.
Recently I did try a Portuguese home made quince marmalade and their quinces are completely different to English ones.
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,691
710
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When I was a nipper my grandmother used to make marmalade with absolutely masses of rind in it. I never liked it because of that..

Now I'm in my 40s and I can't seem to buy any with that flavour I hated when I was a kid, weird how a persons taste changes through their lifetime isn't it? Its all too sweet for me.

Guess that means I should just knuckle down and make my own.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Demographic: you ought to be able to juice the limes in a lime press or cook all and screen the peel as the cooked pulp goes very mushy.
Be careful though as the gelling pectin is derived from the peel.

I'm really fussy about citrus: The colored zest on the outside, shredded with a zesting tool, is good in everything from drinks to BBQ dry rubs.
Into dry vermouth on ice, all the orange varieties are dramatically different tastes. Great experiments! Make mine Navel, thank you.

The white pith is really bitter. I won't eat that if I can help it. These limes were big and thin skinned and seedless.
I got a really hard sharpness tang from the limes. Just what I had hoped for. I gave away a bunch of jars, everybody said the same.

A British company, Robertson, has been featured among the marmalades on our store shelves for years.
Just twice in the past 30 years, I have seen and bought Robertson lime marmalade. Even refrigerated,
they went moldy within a week. So, I try myself.

Either really simple or beginner's luck or both, but I am very content with the result.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
I think caramelize with fruit still brings in some Maillard reactions, it must. Sugar + amino acids.

I buy a 25lb case of big, desert-ripened Roma tomatoes every year to slice and and dry them.
Then they are packed in good olive oil with Italian mixed herbs. Two more 500 ml jars and I will be done with the 2014 crop.

My 2014 plum sauce has aged enough to serve guests.
My very first (2017) lime marmalade has been a a triumpf.

Everybody should fool with these things. You putz around, muck with it for a couple of days. Don't do so much that you can't afford the upscrew.
I got 5lbs/2.2kg cherries off my Scarlet Jewel bush today. Will clean and mush them down in a minute.
 

JamPan

Forager
Jun 8, 2017
245
1
Yorkshire
Quinces that grow well here are the Japonica varieties. Small, incredibly scented bright yellow fruits. The 'jam' from them sets solid in no time. It's known as cotingnac or membrillo. Lovely stuff :D

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124275

Toddy, yes they were the ones! I've not heard of those other names. I also once used them to make a delicious sour fruit leather and for Christmas puddings one year. They do just smell of Christmas to me:)
 

JamPan

Forager
Jun 8, 2017
245
1
Yorkshire
I'll tell you what I do love to eat, though I do have quite a taste for sour and pickled things. They're called mock olives in an old preserves book I have and they are actually pickled cherries in spiced vinegar. They go great with meat and cheese.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
I run an "American Harvest" electric food dryer. The motor and heater are on top, blowing down a chimney
into the stack of dryer screens. That way, nothing can drool on the motor & heating element & fan.

I pack 500ml jars with tomato slices, 1 tbs Italian Mixed Herbs and top up with olive oil.

Using Hi-Mountain brand cure & seasonings (Cabela's), I do bison jerky with ground meats very quickly.

The machine is very quiet and convenient. The wash-up is easy.

Mock olives, huh? I've had pickled grapes, the recipe came out of a 1932 Australian Women's Weekly magazine.
I like greek kalamata olives enough to buy many 3 liter tins of greek kalamata olive oil.
 

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