Meyer lemons are abundant year-round on my trees in Sausalito. I try not to waste a single lemon. I give a lot of them away as gifts to friends and neighbors, and I look for new ways in which to preserve these treasures.
I started making Meyer lemon marmalade several years back, and it has now become very popular with my friends. In order to keep the rinds from becoming too chewy, it is important to add an equal amount of water to the mix. In fact, I use a 1:1:1 ratio – chopped Meyer lemons:water:sugar.
This marmalade is especially good with freshly-made scones.
It also goes well with goat cheese. I simply spread some crusty bread with fresh goat cheese and then spread Meyer lemon marmalade over the top. It is always a hit!
Ingredients
8 cups Meyer lemons, thinly chopped (approx. 16 lemons)
8 cups water
8 cups sugar
You will also need:
Chef’s knife
Large pot, such as a Dutch oven
Large spoon
Skimmer
Candy thermometer
Large open pan for sterilizing jars
6-7clean jars with new lids and rings
Canner
Jar tongs
Kitchen towel
Canning funnel, clean and sterilized
Paper towels
Regular tongs
Instructions
Place the chopped Meyer lemons, water and sugar into a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and cook at a medium boil, stirring frequently to keep from sticking. Skim any foam from the top. Continue to cook until the marmalade reaches 220oF or until thickened.
Meanwhile, put about an inch of water in the bottom of a large open pan. Add the clean jars, open top down. Bring to a slow simmer and let the jars cook for at least 10 minutes. Keep hot.
Put enough water into the canner to completely cover your jars by about an inch. Put it on a back burner and bring to a boil.
When the marmalade is ready, remove a jar from the hot skillet using the jar tongs and place the jar upright onto a kitchen towel. Place a funnel into the jar. Ladle the hot marmalade into the jar until it is almost full. Leave about ¼” of space at the top. Wipe the rim of the jar with a paper towel (a damp paper towel works best).
Drop one of the lids into the skillet with the hot jars and leave it there for about 30 seconds.
Remove the lid from the water with tongs and place it on top of the jar filled with marmalade. Place a ring on the jar and tighten it.
Repeat until all of the marmalade has been ladled into the jars. Gently place each jar into the canner (the water should be hot by now).
Cover the canner and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and boil the jars for at least 5 minutes. I typically do it for 7 minutes.
Turn off the heat underneath the canner. Remove the jars from the water, dry them off and place them on the countertop to cool. You should hear the lids pop within a few minutes. If the jar is sealed, the lid dips slightly in the middle. If the lid sticks up in the middle, then the jar has not sealed and the marmalade should be refrigerated and consumed within a week.
Be careful with the marmalade until it completely cools – don’t shake it around much.
Makes about 6 (8 oz.) jars of sunny marmalade.
Note: Several photos courtesy of McArdle Images.
