Cran-Orange Marmalade

I can't tell you how excited I am to finally be posting this recipe. I've only been working on it for five years now!! While every batch has always turned out good, I was having trouble standardizing the recipe. There were a couple of batches that ended up with jelling issues, either too jelled or not jelled enough, but I think I've got it perfected now. This marmalade has a wonderful blend of sweet and tart. I absolutely adore the bits of orange peel in it; they are tender and sweet with a citrus bite. There is no bitterness here!! I often just eat it straight out of the jar, but it's good for other things too. It's an important part of my favorite sandwich (Chicken and Herb Cheese Panini). It could easily take the place of straight-up cranberry sauce at your holiday table this year. And it is absolutely gorgeous! Make it for gifts; no one will be disappointed!

The first step is to prepare the peel. You need about 8 average sized naval oranges. Use a peeler to remove all the skin on each orange. Then slice the peel into thin strips. Place in a bowl and cover with cool water. Soak the peel for ten minutes and then drain.

The next step is to cook the peel. Place it in a small sauce pan with the apple juice and sugar and simmer until the peel is soft and translucent, about an hour.

Then add the dried cranberries so they can soak up the syrup as well, This helps to keep them from floating in the final jam. Let them cook with the peel for 20-30 minutes. I especially love the dried cranberries in this jam because they hold their shape and have such a nice chewy texture.

In a separate pot, cook the fresh (or frozen) cranberries with sugar and a small amount of water. Cook until they are split and nice and soft. Cool slightly and then press through a sieve. We want the flavor of the berries without all the seeds of skins.

Lastly, supreme the oranges (that's where you peel and then cut the sections out of the membrane) and cut the flesh into small pieces. You do not want all the excess juice, just the flesh cut in pieces. Cook these pieces in a large pot with sugar until it comes to a boil, and then continue boiling for 3-5 minutes.

The last step is to put all the pieces together. Add the peel mixture and the sieved cranberries to the cooked orange and stir. Bring to a hard boil and add the liquid pectin packet. Return to a hard boil and boil one minute. Let sit five minutes before ladling into half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Process in a water bath canner for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the jars sit in the water for five minutes before removing, otherwise they may ooze and weep.

Cran-Orange Marmalade
Yield: approx 7 half-pint jars

1 1/2 cup firm-packed orange peel
3/4 cup apple juice
1 cup sugar
1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries

Use a peeler to remove the peel from approximately 8 average sized oranges. Slice into short, thin strips. Soak the peel in a bowl of water for ten minutes and then drain. Then simmer in a small sauce pan with the apple juice and sugar until soft and translucent, about an hour. Add the dried cranberries and let cook another 30 minutes. Set aside.

1 bag of cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar

Cook the cranberries, water, and sugar together until they split and are soft and then pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds and skins. Set aside.

1 cup chopped, supremed orange sections
2 cups sugar

Supreme the peeled oranges (cut off the skin and cut out the sections from the membrane) and then cut the sections into small pieces. In a large pot, add the orange sections and sugar and cook until boiling, and then continue to cook for 3-5 minutes.

1 pouch liquid pectin

At this point, add all three components together. Add the peel/dried cranberry mixture and the sieved mixture to the hot orange sections. Stir together and bring to a boil. Add the pouch of pectin and return to a boil. Boil hard for one minute. Let mixture sit five minutes before ladling into prepared half-pint jars. Leave a 1/4 inch head space and process in a water bath canner for 8 minutes. At the end of the processing time, remove canner from heat and let the jars sit in the water for five minutes before removing (this helps keep them from oozing). Note that this jam may take 24 hours to fully jell.

If you need more guidance on canning basics, see my Canning 101 post.