Ina Garten’s Perfect Orange Marmalade Recipe: Sweet Success

Ina Garten’s orange marmalade transforms ordinary citrus into a vibrant, sunshine-filled spread that captures the essence of bright, zesty flavors.

This classic preserve brings a delightful balance of sweet and tangy notes to your morning toast or afternoon scones.

Crafting homemade marmalade requires patience and a keen understanding of fruit’s natural pectin and sugar interactions.

The process involves carefully slicing citrus peels, extracting their aromatic oils, and simmering them into a glossy, translucent conserve.

Why Orange Marmalade Is a Morning Star

• Capture Citrus Complexity: This marmalade bursts with intense orange and lemon flavors, offering a perfect balance of sweet and tangy notes that dance across your taste buds.
• Embrace Homemade Preservation Magic: Creating this marmalade transforms simple fruits into a luxurious spread using traditional cooking methods that connect you to generations of home cooks.
• Master Artisan Technique: The slow-cooking process develops deep, rich flavors while preserving the entire fruit – peel, pulp, and all – resulting in a beautifully textured, authentic spread that commercial products can't match.

What’s in Ina’s Orange Marmalade

• Oranges: Sweet and fragrant citrus that provides the base flavor and texture of the marmalade, choose ripe and firm fruits with no blemishes.
• Lemon: Adds brightness and helps with pectin development, select a fresh and juicy lemon with smooth skin.

• Granulated Sugar: Primary sweetener that helps set the marmalade and balances the citrus tartness, use pure white sugar for best results.

• Water: Helps soften the citrus fruits and creates the base for marmalade, use clean, filtered water for the best taste.

• Sterilized Glass Jars: Essential for storing the marmalade, ensure jars are clean and free from cracks.
• Jar Lids: Provide airtight seal for preservation, check for intact rubber sealing rim.
• Canning Funnel: Helps pour marmalade neatly into jars without spills.
• Clean Towel: Used for draining and handling hot jars safely.

Steps to Sweet Citrus Perfection

Step 1: Prepare Citrus Fruits

Thoroughly wash oranges and lemon. Slice oranges into eighths, removing seeds. Finely chop the entire fruit, including the peel. Repeat the same process with the lemon.

Step 2: Initial Cooking Process

Combine chopped fruits with water in a large pot. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce temperature and simmer gently for approximately 2 hours until rinds become extremely soft and tender.

Step 3: Adding Sweetness

• Granulated sugar
• White sugar

Stir thoroughly until sugar completely dissolves, creating a smooth consistency.

Step 4: Reaching Cooking Temperature

Increase heat to high, bringing the mixture to a full rolling boil. Continue cooking and stirring frequently to prevent burning. Monitor temperature until it reaches 220 degrees Fahrenheit (104 degrees Celsius), which typically takes around 30 minutes.

Step 5: Testing Marmalade Consistency

Perform the gel test by placing a small amount on a chilled plate. Gently push the sample with your finger – if it wrinkles and holds its shape, the marmalade is ready.

Step 6: Jarring the Marmalade

• Clean glass jars
• Canning funnel
• Clean towel

Carefully ladle hot marmalade into jars, leaving slight headspace. Wipe jar rims clean to ensure proper sealing.

Step 7: Sealing and Processing

Secure jar lids tightly. Optional: Process jars in a water bath for extended storage. This step helps create a vacuum seal and prevents contamination.

Step 8: Cooling and Storage

Allow jars to cool completely at room temperature. Verify lid seals by checking for slight indentation. Store in a cool, dark pantry. Once opened, refrigerate and consume within several weeks.

Cooking Tips for Marmalade Mastery

• Harvest Fresh Oranges: Select peak-season, vibrant oranges bursting with natural sweetness and intense citrus aroma for exceptional marmalade flavor.
• Control Cooking Temperature: Simmer gently to preserve bright orange essence and prevent bitter caramelization that can diminish the fresh, zesty profile.
• Strain for Silky Smoothness: Use a fine-mesh sieve to remove excess pulp and seeds, creating a refined, elegant marmalade with consistent texture.
• Balance Sweet and Tangy: Taste and gradually add sugar, allowing the natural citrus notes to shine while creating a harmonious spread.
• Preserve with Precision: Sterilize jars thoroughly, ensuring airtight seals to maintain freshness and extend the marmalade's shelf life for months of enjoyment.

Marmalade Storage Hacks

• Countertop Method: Keep unopened marmalade jars in a cool, dark pantry away from direct sunlight. Preserve the vibrant citrus flavor by maintaining stable temperatures between 50-70°F. Check seals periodically to ensure freshness and prevent potential spoilage.
• Refrigerator Method: After opening, store marmalade in tightly sealed glass containers in the refrigerator. Chilled storage extends shelf life up to 6 months, maintaining its zesty taste and smooth texture. Use clean utensils when scooping to prevent bacterial contamination.
• Freezing Method: Transfer excess marmalade to freezer-safe containers, leaving one inch of headspace for expansion. Freeze for maximum 3 months, labeling containers with dates. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, gently stirring before serving to restore original consistency.

Flavor Twists for Your Marmalade

• Zesty Citrus Blend: Incorporate grapefruit or tangerine segments alongside oranges for a more complex citrus profile. The additional fruits will introduce subtle flavor variations and create a deeper, more nuanced marmalade.
• Spiced Warmth Edition: Add ground cinnamon, ginger, or cardamom during the sugar dissolving stage to infuse warm, aromatic notes. These spices complement the bright citrus flavors and create a sophisticated winter-inspired preserve.
• Boozy Sophistication: Stir in a splash of bourbon, Grand Marnier, or brandy after removing from heat for an adult-friendly version. The alcohol will introduce depth and complexity without overpowering the natural citrus essence.
• Herbal Infusion Style: Steep fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs during the simmering process, removing before adding sugar. These herbs will provide a subtle, elegant undertone that elevates the traditional marmalade into a gourmet spread.

Conclude with a Spread of Sunshine

Citrus magic unfolds in Ina Garten’s orange marmalade, revealing professional culinary craftsmanship through simple ingredients and precise techniques.

Mediterranean sunshine radiates from each jar, capturing complex flavor profiles that dance between sweet and bitter notes.

Homemade preserves connect generations, transforming ordinary breakfast moments into extraordinary sensory experiences.

Kitchen passion emerges through careful preparation and patient simmering, creating liquid gold that celebrates seasonal citrus.

Ina Garten Orange Marmalade Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 27 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: Approximately 8 servings. 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Ina Garten’s signature orange marmalade brings zesty citrus magic to breakfast tables across kitchens. Rich Mediterranean flavors mingle with sweet-tart notes, creating a luxurious spread perfect for toast, scones, and culinary adventures you’ll savor.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Fruit:

• 1 ¾ pounds (794 grams) oranges, 4 to 5 medium
• 1 lemon, zest finely grated and juiced

Liquid:

• 6 cups (1.4 liters) water

Sugar:

• 3 pounds 12 ounces (1.7 kilograms) sugar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Thoroughly cleanse oranges and lemon under cool running water. Quarter the oranges, meticulously removing seeds, then finely mince the entire fruit, including its peel. Repeat the same process with the lemon, ensuring complete incorporation of all fruit components.
2. Transfer the chopped fruit to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Pour in water and elevate the heat to create a vigorous boil. Reduce temperature to a gentle simmer, allowing the mixture to cook for approximately 120 minutes until citrus rinds transform into a tender, soft consistency.
3. Gradually introduce the precise quantity of granulated sugar (and /), stirring continuously until every crystal completely dissolves into the fruit mixture.
4. Intensify the heat to maximum, propelling the mixture into a robust, rolling boil. Maintain constant stirring to prevent scorching, continuing until the temperature reaches exactly 220 degrees Fahrenheit (104 degrees Celsius), which typically requires around 30 minutes of careful monitoring.
5. Validate the marmalade’s readiness through the gel test: deposit a small amount onto a pre-chilled plate. Gently push the sample with your fingertip; if it wrinkles and maintains its shape, the marmalade has achieved the perfect setting point.
6. Sanitize glass jars by immersing them in boiling water. Drain on pristine kitchen towels. Position a canning funnel atop each jar, meticulously filling them with the molten marmalade, leaving minimal headspace just below the threading.
7. Methodically wipe jar rims with a clean, damp cloth to ensure a pristine sealing surface. Secure lids firmly, then optionally process in a water bath for extended preservation.
8. Allow the filled jars to cool completely at room temperature. Verify lid seals by pressing the center – it should remain stationary. Store in a cool, dark pantry. Once unsealed, refrigerate and consume within recommended timeframe.

Notes

• Select robust, sun-kissed oranges bursting with natural sweetness and vibrant color.
• Gently simmer the mixture to preserve delicate citrus essence and prevent bitter undertones.
• Carefully strain through a fine-mesh sieve, removing pulp for a silky, refined consistency.
• Taste and gradually incorporate sugar, allowing the natural tang to shine through.
• Sterilize jars meticulously, creating an airtight seal that protects your homemade preserve.

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: Approximately 8 servings.
• Calories: 490
• Sugar: 57 g
• Sodium: 1 mg
• Fat: 0 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 126 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg