Blood Orange Marmalade

By Hklbrries

From the “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.” This blushed pink-golden marmalade has a unique color and a delightfully refreshing flavor, editors say.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds blood oranges
• Water
• 6 cups granulated sugar
• Note: If you wish, you can add 4 tablespoons orange flavored liqueur to each saucepan when the marmalades has nearly reached the gel stage in. Continue cooking until the gel stage has been reached.

Preparation

Step 1

Using a sharp knife, trim tops and bottoms from oranges. Score the peel of each orange lengthwise into quarters. Remove peel and set fruit aside.

Place peel in a large stainless steel saucepan with enough water to cover generously. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat and boil for 10 minutes. Drain.

Cover generously with fresh cold water and return to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, until peel is softened. Drain. Using a spoon, scrape white pith from peel and discard. Using a sharp knife, cut peel into paper-thin strips.

Working over a large stainless steel saucepan to catch juice and using a small, sharp knife, separate orange segments from membrane. Place segments in saucepan and squeeze membrane to remove as much juice as possible, collecting it in the saucepan. Discard membrane and seeds.

Add cooked peel and 4 cups water to segments. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until peel is very soft when squeezed with fingers, about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and measure 6 cups, adding water as necessary to yield the required quantity. Mix well.

Meanwhile, prepare canner, lids and jars.
Ladle three cups of the cooked mixture into a clean, large, deep stainless steel saucepan.

Ladle remaining mixture into a second saucepan. Bring both saucepans to a boil over medium-high heat and test gel. If gel stage has been reached, skim off foam.

Ladle hot marmalade into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot marmalade. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw bands down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.

Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.

Note: If you wish, you can add 4 tablespoons orange flavored liqueur to each saucepan when the marmalades has nearly reached the gel stage in. Continue cooking until the gel stage has been reached.