Marmalade started!

[Hilary B]

My first batches of marmelade have been made, and are sitting in the jars cooling. I decided that 2 batches small enough for the pressure cooker would be quicker than one batch cooked the other way (and safer, since my only large saucpan isn't a proper jam pan) and I have ended up with about 10lbs Seville orange marmelade (and enough oranges left over for probably another 7lb, plus enough limes for about 7lb lime marmelade).
equipment used
1 pressure cooker, with basket
1 hand blender
1 large saucepan
plus the sharp knife, chopping board, seive, wooden spoon etc.
Total time taken, approx 1� hours (plus washing up, but OH does that).

[Kleftiwallah]

One of me Mam's favourite puns. What did the chick say when it saw the orange in the nest? "Oh look what mama laid"! Cracker aint it. Cheers, Tony.

[Alison]

I've still got loads left from last year so won't be making any this year but it is truly lovely but it sounds like I make mine differently as definitely no pressure cooker involved here.

[Hilary B]

The pressure cooker simply speeds up the cooking process. My method is a bit 'fiddly', but I find it works for any citrus combination.
I cook the fruit in the pressure cooker for half-an-hour, then what I want in the finished product goes in the big pan with the sugar to boil to setting point (and I can get a second batch going in the pressure cooker).
Without the pressure cooker the fruit would take nearly 2 hours to be tender enough for the next stage.

[BroadRipple]

hello Hilary, perfect timing...have been thinking about marmalading in my pressure cooker for the first time this year, b/c it takes soooo long in a normal pan (and am quite new to that too). Can I just check...so you pressure cook the oranges for half an hour, then extract the pulp/seeds for your muslin bag and also chop up the orange peel? is that what you mean? and have you (or anyone else) noticed any difference in flavour at all between that and the non-pressure-cooked kind?

[Hilary B]

I cut up the fruit first, put the peel in the divider/basket, and the rest in the base, half-hour at pressure, then the peel goes into the jamming pan (just my biggest saucepan) with the sugar, but the pulp gets strained to keep pips out (and these days I use the hand blender before straining).
I find this way I get the minimum of mess, almost no waste (just the pips in fact) and a near-clear marmelade with lots of pieces of tender peel.
I've done marmelade every way imaginable, and from pretty much every credible combination of citrus fruit. All I know is that I LIKE the flavour (and so do those I give marmelade to) whichever way I make it.

[veggiechicken]

My memory may be playing tricks here as its a long time since I made marmalade but I think I used to put the peel through the mincer before I cooked it. That way it cooked a lot more quickly. Still used a pressure cooker though.

[Hilary B]

I like proper shreds in my marmelade, so I cut it up with a sharp knife. Some people prefer the minced type, or just prefer the convenience!

[wollyanna]

Can I just clarify one thing are you using a hand blender on the pulp after it being in the base of the pressure cooker .What about the pith and pips.Don't the pips get blended as well. I love making Marmalade and any new method is always welcomed.

[veggiechicken]

I'm not a great lover of marmalade but my husband like lots of peel. I'd save the peel from the breakfast grapefruit and weigh it in with the oranges. It was seriously peely and used up something that was heading for the compost bin.

[Hilary B]

Yeah, hand-blender on the pulp (which has some cooking water with it). It does chop up the pips a bit, but not enough for them to go thrugh the sieve, and all that lovely pectin-rich goo DOES go through the sieve without hours of work rubbing it through! All that was left in the sieve was some broken pips.
I simplly put the blender into the pressure-cooker and whizzed it there.