rhoda_bruce
Almost Self-Reliant
My friends....help me. Really. Some of you know that I have an orchard to deal with and no time, but at the same time I hate to see my parents hard work, investments and time go to waste. Well, I was inspired to try my hand at marmalade. I found a few recipes and seeings as it was for long term storage, I elected to use the one in Back to Basics. Well at the same time let me also say that I am aware that one can make pectin out of the inner part of the orange rind, so I trusted the recipe would thicken naturally. As it was getting time to put in jars, I would put a spoon of the stuff in a container and put in the freezer because I wanted to satisfy my curiosity on the thickening I was hoping for, but it never happened, so I gave in and put a box of pectin. Well I don't feel it is stiff enough. Honey consistancy, maybe.
Okay, to begin with, I'm not accustomed to eating marmalade anyway, so I don't really have anything to judge by as to how thick it should be. Secondly, I have done blackberry jam and been unsatisfied and thought I'd put in another box as soon as I go to the store for more pectin, but keep putting it off a few days and 3 days down the road, I go to move the jars and its as stiff as I need it.....by magic! So, I'm hoping in a few days the magic works or that one of you will tell me that its not really so very stiff anyway, cuz I wouldn't know one way or the other.
My problem is temporary, because really I can do preserves. In fact, I'm toying with the idea of starting a small, home-based business of it. God knows I have enough citrus. I have all the blackberries I can possibly pic, come May and I have ample room to start about 30 more fig trees. I just thought I'd play with a marmalade recipe, see if the locals like it, obtain some cheaper glass jars to retail, create a cute logo and do the whole thing again in the spring when the berries ripen.
It breaks my heart to see my parents and know all their fruit is feeding raccoons and not getting in their wallets.
Someone please educate me about making this marmalade. Also, if you have a recipe that can be used for large amounts of marmalade, please pass it my way.
Okay, to begin with, I'm not accustomed to eating marmalade anyway, so I don't really have anything to judge by as to how thick it should be. Secondly, I have done blackberry jam and been unsatisfied and thought I'd put in another box as soon as I go to the store for more pectin, but keep putting it off a few days and 3 days down the road, I go to move the jars and its as stiff as I need it.....by magic! So, I'm hoping in a few days the magic works or that one of you will tell me that its not really so very stiff anyway, cuz I wouldn't know one way or the other.
My problem is temporary, because really I can do preserves. In fact, I'm toying with the idea of starting a small, home-based business of it. God knows I have enough citrus. I have all the blackberries I can possibly pic, come May and I have ample room to start about 30 more fig trees. I just thought I'd play with a marmalade recipe, see if the locals like it, obtain some cheaper glass jars to retail, create a cute logo and do the whole thing again in the spring when the berries ripen.
It breaks my heart to see my parents and know all their fruit is feeding raccoons and not getting in their wallets.
Someone please educate me about making this marmalade. Also, if you have a recipe that can be used for large amounts of marmalade, please pass it my way.