Cranberry Orange Marmalade

Now I don’t want to scare you off, but this was the most time consuming recipe I have ever made. The process took 3 days. And it was totally worth every spoonful of marmalade it produced. I had intended to give most of it away as Christmas gifts, but it was so good, and it took so long, that I ended up hoarding most of it for ME, ME, ME. Yes, it is that gooooood.

So if you are die hard canner, and you like real marmalade, I highly suggest you break out your canning pots, and whip up a batch of this delicious cranberry orange marmalade while you can still find fresh cranberries in the produce section {although I’m sure frozen would work just fine too}.

Ingredients {The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook}

3 pounds navel oranges, thinly sliced
2 1/4 pounds cranberries {I used fresh}
4 pounds granulated sugar
4 ounces fresh lemon juice {I used bottled}

Day 1

Placed sliced oranges in a large, nonreactive sauce pan. Add enough water to cover the oranges 1 inch, cover, and let rest overnight at room temperature on the counter or stove top. {Save yourself some time by slicing oranges with a mandolin slicer if you have one.}

Day 2 

Bring the saucepan with the oranges in it to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer the oranges for 30 minutes or until tender. Stir the mixture every 10 minutes or so. Make sure the oranges remain submerged as they cook {you may add a little more water if needed.} Once the fruit is done cooking, set the saucepan aside and cover tightly, and let the mixture sit overnight at room temperature.

To prepare the cranberry juice:

Place cranberries in a large stock pot and add enough water to cover the cranberries with at least one inch of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the cranberry mixture to a simmer and cook covered, for 1 -2 hours or until the cranberry water has thickened into a nice syrup like consistency.

Place a colander over a large, nonreactive pan and strain the juice into the pan. {I used a large baking dish for this}. Next, cover the colander and pan with plastic wrap and it let sit overnight at room temperature. Doing this will allow any extra juices drain into pan. {More juice, means more marmalade. Yay!}

Day 3 

Remove the plastic wrap from the colander and pan and toss the cranberries. Strain cranberry juice through a fine mesh sieve, then set the cranberry juice aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, lemon juice, cranberry juice, cooked orange slices and their liquid together and mix well.

Bring a boiling-water canner, 3/4 full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

Pour the mixture into a large nonreactive pot and bring it to a simmer. Cook until the cranberry orange mixture is reduced by half. {This took about 45 minutes for me} When the mixture reads 220 degrees on a thermometer, test to see if it has “set” by spooning a bit onto a cold plate.  If it has formed a bit of a skin and started to give a bit like goopy jell-o, you’re good to go, if not, cook for a bit longer.

Ladle the cranberry orange marmalade immediately into prepared jars {I used a combination of Ball and Weck jars} , filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw on bands. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. {Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.} Cover; bring water to gentle boil and process 10 min.

Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary}. Yields {8} 1/2 pints.

If using Weck Jars find directions HERE.