Ginger Honey

Fresh ginger adds a fabulous kick to traditional homemade orange marmalade. 

Many traditional marmalade recipes have you remove all the peel, boil it a time or two, and then separate the zest from the pith. We've tried that method. We find it messier, more complicated, and less flavorful than simply taking a bit of time to carefully zest the fruit, remove the pith, and then cut out peel- and membrane-free sections of oranges.

Please note: Marmalade doesn't set up (or get fully thickened) until it's cooked to the proper temperature and then cooled; yes, after you add the water, it will seem like marmalade soup, but if you cook it as described (to 220°F and hold it there for 5 minutes), it will thicken up beautifully!

Ingredients
5 pounds oranges (ripe)
4 cups of water
6 cups of sugar
3-inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled and shredded or grated)
3-pint jars with sealable lids

Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.

Wash and dry the oranges. Use a sharp vegetable peeler or paring knife, remove the brightly colored zest – and only the brightly colored zest – from the oranges. Be sure to leave behind any and all of the white pith directly underneath, it is very bitter. Chop the resulting zest – bigger pieces for chunkier marmalade, ribbon-like strips for a more spreadable result. Set zest aside.

Cut the ends off the zested oranges and then, working with one orange at a time, cut off the thick white pith from around each orange. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, hold a fully peeled orange and use a sharp knife to cut out each section from the membrane holding the sections together. There is a simple method for how to section oranges.

Squeeze any juice out of the membrane once you've cut out all the fruit. Set the membrane aside, along with any seeds – the pectin in these will help "set" the marmalade later.

Combine the zest, fruit, and juice, plus the 4 cups of water, sugar, and ginger in a large heavy pot and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, lay a double layer of cheesecloth in a medium bowl and put membranes and seeds in the bowl. Lift up the corners and tie the cheesecloth into a bag to hold the membranes and seeds. Add this "pectin bag" to the pot.

While the mixture comes to a boil, put a canning kettle full of water on to boil if you're planning to can the marmalade. In any case, put a few small plates in the freezer to chill them. When canning kettle water boils, use it to sterilize the jars and lids.

Bring marmalade to 220 F and hold it there for 5 minutes. Be patient, this can take quite a while. Put a dollop of the mixture on a chilled plate, swirl the plate to spread the mixture a bit, and drag your finger through the mixture. A "set" mixture will hold a clean track behind your finger.

Remove "pectin bag", squeezing any marmalade in it out and back into the pot before discarding the bag. Take marmalade off the heat and let sit 5 minutes. Set up clean jars next to the pot.

Stir marmalade to distribute the zest evenly in the mixture. Use a ladle to transfer the marmalade into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of each jar. Put lids on the jars.

If you're canning the marmalade, put the jars in the canning kettle and boil for 10 minutes. In any case, let jars cool to room temperature before putting in a cool dry cupboard (if you've hot water processed them) or the fridge (if you didn't hot water process).

Tip
Marmalade will keep a really long time. It is all sugar. Opened marmalade needs to be in the fridge, but unless you use a dirty spoon in the jar, it seems to last for approximately forever, although officially people say 6 to 12 months.