Easy Homemade Mandarin Marmalade Recipe
Mandarin Marmalade is my go to for preserving those many, many mandarins that come about during the winter. The fresh taste of homemade mandarin marmalade on sourdough or freshly made scones is a lovely way to start your morning. Sometimes I will enjoy it as a sweet topper to my yogurt.
Here’s a fun fact for you: My first ever attempt at making jam was actually mandarin marmalade. I really do enjoy preserving food. There is just something about making use of what you have and being able to eat that food all year round. I also just love to see the different colours in jars on my pantry shelf. Please keep in mind that this recipe is not a tested preserving recipe. If you are a rule follower (like I am sometimes) and want to follow things by the book, I recommend using the recipes in “The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving”.
We live in an area where citrus orchards are close by. So great deals on citrus usually come about during the winter. We also have a very generous neighbour, who often brings us food from his vegetable garden or off his fruit trees. This winter we got a bountiful number of citrus. Currently my mandarin trees are still small and not producing yet. So having a neighbour as generous as he is, allowed me to whip out this recipe and document it just for you.
I promise you this is such an easy mandarin marmalade recipe. With only two ingredients it makes it so simple (insert shocked face). You can also add other citrus and make mandarin orange marmalade or if you are adventurous mandarin ginger marmalade. The options are endless!
My in-laws were not lovers of marmalade, but I have won them over with this ultimate mandarin marmalade recipe and I hope to win you over as well.
Tips for making Mandarin Marmalade
- Having sterilised jars is important. Water bathing, using “Ball’s Water Bathing Method”, is my preferred way of preserving marmalade.
- You don’t need to add extra pectin to mandarin marmalade because naturally the mandarin is rich in pectin.
- I like to remove the seeds when cutting the fruit to make mandarin marmalade, but you don’t have to. The seeds will float to the surface when you are boiling the jam and you can easily remove them at this stage. The seeds also add extra pectin and help with setting the marmalade.
- I remove some of the white pith from the peel before it add it to the marmalade, however make sure you keep some of the pith to help with setting the jam. Pectin is also found in the pith.
- You can use any variety of mandarins, but easy to peel varieties will make the process much easier.
- Use a 1:1 fruit/peel to sugar ratio. You can then make as much mandarin marmalade as your heart desires.
I find splitting up the jobs for the mandarin marmalade is usually the best way to go. I will cut up and prepare the ingredients the night before and be ready for cooking and canning the next day. This also allows me to do my other jobs in the kitchen at the same time, such as making my sourdough, topping up the kombucha, or even tidying out my fridge (sometimes we have to do the not so fun jobs).
FAQ about Marmalade
How to know when marmalade is set? Use a cold plate to test whether the marmalade has set. Place a few small plates in the freezer the night before. After boiling your marmalade for some time, spoon some marmalade on the cold plate. If it wrinkles when you press the marmalade with your finger it is probably set.
What helps to set the marmalade? Pectin. Mandarins and other citrus fruits naturally contain pectin. If your marmalade does not set, it may be due to not enough boiling time or you may have to add some additional pectin (or just leave the seeds in and remove them later).
Mandarin Marmalade
Ingredients
- 2 kg Mandarins keep half the peel
- 2 kg Raw sugar or Jam Setting Sugar
Instructions
- Place a few small plates in the freezer 24 hours prior to preparing the marmalade.
- Fill the sink with cool water and add a cup of white vinegar, soaking the mandarins for about 15 minutes.
- Peel mandarins and set half of the peel aside to be used later. Do not worry about removing loose pith from the mandarin as this will help set the marmalade.
- Weigh the large saucepan that will be used to boil the marmalade. This measurement will be used when calculating the amount of sugar needed.
- Roughly cut the mandarin segments into a few pieces, removing seeds as you go (or leaving them in if you want peace of mind setting your marmalade). Place the prepared fruit into the large saucepan.
- Prepare the reserved mandarin peel. Turn the peel pith-side up on a chopping board. Using a spoon, remove the white pith from the mandarin peel. Discard the white pith. Then slice the mandarin peel thinly into julienne strips. Place the sliced peel into the saucepan with the mandarin.
- Weigh the amount of fruit/peel in the saucepan (accounting for the weight of the saucepan). Then using a 1:1 ratio, add the same amount of sugar to the pan. For example. 2kg of fruit/peel, so 2kg of sugar will be added. (These few steps can be completed the night before and the saucepan can be covered and placed in the fridge for boiling/processing the next day.)
- Bring the fruit, peel and sugar to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce to medium heat once boiling. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the marmalade shows signs of setting (Use the cold plate test: Place a spoon of mandarin marmalade onto the cold plate. If the marmalade wrinkles when touched the marmalade is probably set). The time for setting can vary depending on the amount of marmalade being processed.
- Place the mandarin marmalade into jars and preserve using the water bath method for 15min.
- Allow the jars to sit for 24 hours. After 24 hours the lids should have sealed. If not sealed, re-process using the water bath method or store unsealed jars in the fridge.
