Orange Marmalade

From David Lebovitz’s 2010 cookbook, Ready for Dessert, comes this easy orange marmalade recipe with a genius juicing method. By squeezing cut oranges over a mesh strainer, Lebovitz preserves the valuable seeds. He wraps them in cheesecloth and adds to the mixture of boiling water, sugar, and citrus—pith and all—on the stovetop, then simmers and steeps them overnight. Seeds contain a natural pectin that helps homemade marmalade set without thickeners like cornstarch. A very sharp serrated knife is the best tool for thinly slicing the oranges, which can be squishy and unwieldy after being juiced. Cognac or whiskey provides round, toasty flavors that complement the sweet-tart orange marmalade, but you can also use bourbon, dark rum, gin—or leave the booze out altogether.

Don’t ladle your homemade orange marmalade into whatever pint jars you have lying around, however: Dedicated canning jars are key. Use sterilized mason jars that can withstand high heat. Lebovitz’s recipe results in 8 jars of marmalade that will keep in your fridge for at least 6 months; if you want to preserve them via water bath, follow the canning instructions here.

Lebovitz’s marmalade recipe is primarily made from Seville oranges, but any sour orange variety can take their place. He incorporates single navel oranges for balanced sweetness. For the latter, you can swap in a Cara Cara orange, tangerine, a couple of clementines, or another sweet citrus fruit if you’ve already got them on hand.

This recipe was adapted for style from ‘Ready for Dessert’ by David Lebovitz. Buy the full book on Amazon.