Small Batch of Orange Marmalade

This week, fueled with my large supply of oranges (and a few lemons), I continued in experimenting in cooking with them.  This was my first time making a jam and canning, definitely an adventure!  I was a bit scared of so many issues that could have happened, but in fact, canning is fairly easy and it tastes delicious.  I did not make a big batch, this adjusted for a half recipe based from the Ina Garten recipe and Alton Brown's canning instructions.  Only three ingredients! 

Orange slices

Ingredients:
2 ripe, seedless large oranges (I used CA Navel)
1 medium lemon
4 cups of sugar

Equipment: 
Large non-reactive pot and lid (stainless steel)
Canning supplies - 2 pint size jars with lids and rings, canning pot, tongs
Candy thermometer
Spatula
Ladle
Canning funnel
Paper towels
Small plate

Lemon sliced by food processor

Directions: 
Wash fruit throughly in cold water.  Cut off the top and bottom the oranges and lemon to make the ends flat.  Cut into quarters, and then into very thin slices.  If you have a mandoline or a food processor with a slicing blade, this will go very quickly.  Chop into smaller pieces, if desired.  Discard the lemon seeds.  Place all fruit in the large pot, and cover with 4 cups of water, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often.  Remove from the heat and stir in all of the sugar until it dissolves. Cover and allow to stand overnight at room temperature.

The next day, bring the mixture back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Stick the small plate in the freezer to get cold for testing doneness later.  Also during this time, prep your canning supplies by boiling all pieces, submerged, for 5-10 minutes to ensure they are sterile. 

Overnight soaking

After two hours, turn the heat up to medium and boil gently, stirring often, for another 20 minutes.  Stir more often. Skim off any foam that forms on the top. Cook the marmalade until it reaches and holds for a minute at 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer.  At this stage, the boiling will look more rapid. To make doubly sure it's ready, pull out the cold plate from the freezer and put a few drops of the marmalade on it. In a minute, pick up the plate and tilt it.  If it's firm -- neither runny nor too hard -- it's done. It will be a golden orange color. (If the marmalade is runny, continue cooking it and if it's too hard, add a little more water.)  Remove from heat.

Using the canning jars, funnel, and ladle, carefully scoop the marmalade from the pot to the jar, up to a 1/4 inch from the top.  Repeat with the second pint jar.  Wipe jar rims with damp paper towels and place on canning lid, then ring and tighten down.  

Cooling on the counter

Handle these hot jars carefully! Put them back into canning pot, submerge with water by an inch, and boil for 10 minutes to seal.  Take the jars out, leave them at room temperature for 24 hours while they cool.  The lids should be solid when pressed down from the top.  Store in cabinet for up to a year!  Once opened, they will last several weeks in your fridge.