Lemon marmalade issue!

[alwayslemons]

I tried to make lemon marmalade today and it did NOT turn out how I was hoping! The main problem is that the little pieces of lemon peel have gone rock solid. I think I boiled it for too long anyway as it's set reeeeally thick, but I don't see how that could have made the peel go hard - I'm wondering if the lemons I used weren't fresh enough, or if I used the wrong kind. I always buy unwaxed lemons, but they have been in the bowl for a while without a label so I could have accidentally bought the wrong kind...

I'm going to try and fix it by adding a little bit of water and straining it through a sieve to remove the lemon peel. But I would like to make a proper one sometime and I don't wan to waste another Sunday afternoon messing it up again!

Can any marmalade veterans shed some light?

[HardAsSnails]

Did you add the sugar too soon (before the peel softened) or over-boil it maybe?

[alwayslemons]

@HardAsSnails

Did you add the sugar too soon (before the peel softened) or over-boil it maybe?

I definitely over boiled it, but I didn't even consider that adding the sugar too soon might be an issue. Whoops. In my defence this was not specified in the recipe! Thanks :)