Orange Marmalade in a Jiff

Canning was a big love of mine for years. Our family would pack up along with our cousins and go to a local farm to pick fruits and veggies for canning. This was a fun activity everyone loved. However, with two grown kids and less time to spend my canner now sits in the attic. Of course, jam was always on the canning list. It was my aunt who showed me that jam can be made in a microwave. Fresh homemade jam in minutes? This was an amazing shortcut that I love using. Just bring home whatever berries are on sale and voila- instant jam! I was able to work the recipe to make orange marmalade in the microwave as well. Orange marmalade generally takes more time to make, so traditionalists may not like this post. But I love being able to have orange marmalade in a jiff using the microwave.

This marmalade makes a wonderful food gift not to mention a lovely presentation. And orange is the perfect holiday flavor. This jam is so good slathered on toast- mmmmmm! With the amount of sugar in the marmalade it should keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge. So, if you are gifting this it really is the perfect last-minute gift. Oranges, sugar, water, lemon juice, a couple shakes of salt and a microwave are all you need. Jiff is a bit of a relative term here, but considering the time needed to make traditional marmalade this is a jiff.

orange marmalade in a jiff

Makes approximately 2 cups

3-4 oranges (you probably will only use 3)

2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup of water

1 tbsp. of lemon juice

A couple dashes of sea salt

Start by peeling 2 of the oranges and running the fruit through a food processor until pureed. You want a cup of orange puree, so use another orange if you do not have enough. With a third orange, rinse, cut of the ends, and very thinly slice the whole orange- peel and all. You want the slices as thin as possible, so if you have a mandolin then use this. Stack the slices and quarter them. You should have about a cup of these. Add your two cups total of orange puree and orange slices to a large microwavable bowl. Add 2 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup of water, 1 tbsp. of lemon juice, and a couple dashes of sea salt. Stir ingredients well. Microwave for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from microwave and pour into clean containers and cool in the fridge a few hours until set. Use within 2-3 weeks.

Recipe notes: this makes a loose preserves. If you want it thicker put it back in the microwave for 5 minutes and then let it set again.