Home-made marmalade novice - advice please

[OldieMum]

I want to get some Seville oranges and make marmalade. My only jam-making experience so far was a disaster - I overcooked an entire season's crop from our plum tree and ended up with jam the texture of rubber. So:

1. Any advice on how to make marmalade would be great.
2. What do I need in the way of equipment? I took a look at the Lakeland website, but can't work out what's essential (jars, obviously, but also wax paper seals?), what's advisable (a jam thermometer?) and what's merely decorative (twee little labels?). Help needed from marmalade veterans, please.

Top tip - start small. Then if it all goes wrong there won't be much to give away to MIL, LOs teachers and similar people you don't much like.

If you've had rubber-jam problems in the past, a thermometer won't hurt! Saves all the malarkey with the cold saucer and the burnt fingers. Wax discs - good idea. Cellophane covers & rubber bands - only if lids of jars are crap. Jars w metal lids normally ok as they are. Labels important so you know what / when you made it, tweeness not necessary.

Somewhere I have a microwave marmalade recipe that was so easy my dad used to make it... will have a look.

Yes, please microwave recipe sounds great. You won't believe this but in my town today (an hour south of Seville) they were cutting down the branches of the orange trees complete with Seville oranges that they all hate here as they are so bitter. They don't make marmalade with them either. I felt like running around trying to gather them all up but wisely decided against it!

Clean jars, lids and those discs of cellophane . If you can't get them then cut circles from inner ceral packet. Don't make huge quantities as the cutting up of orange peel is tedious. I never use a thermometer just do the test on a cold saucer from the freezer. Apart from sugar the only other thing you need is time and a big pan! I am wildly jealous,the rain is lashing the windows here and I have had the heating on for days and even need the lights on all day! Use a reliable recipe.. like Delia!

My mother used to make hers in a huge copper kettle, and then strain it through an old nappy tied to the legs of an upsidown stool. I can't remember any thermometers! Now she uses a magimix and a pressure cooker. The marmalade is still great though! I think it is actually much easier to make than jam, because the oranges have high levels of pectin and are so bitter that you can use a lot of sugar. Go for too runny over too set any day (good marmalade should be eaten with a spoon )

Oh, and you can sterilise the jars by sticking them in the oven - we used to pour in the hot marmalade into hot jars - you had to be careful not to burn yourself, but it gives a good seal on the jars.

Microwave marmalade recipe, as made by my dad in a 650W microwave, so probably a bit less time needed if yours is more powerful:

Makes about 3-4 lbs (1.35-1.8kg)

1 thin skinned grapefruit
1 thin skinned orange
1 thin skinned lemon
(or 3-4 oranges, or 2 big grapefruit, or 4 lemons etc)
1 1/2pints (825ml) boiling water
1kg bag of sugar with pectin

Halve the fruit, remove the juice.
Thinly shred the skins. Put into a 5pt (2.8 litre) microwaveproof bowl.
Add the boiling water, cover bowl and microwave on full power for about 25 mins until skin is tender. Remove from microwave.
Add the sugar, stir in thoroughly to dissolve. Microwave uncovered for 10mins stirring once during cooking.
Skim off scum, microwave again for 5 mins stirring once during cooking.
Test for setting point. Pot and seal

Oldie mum, I use Delia's recipe, but it's very easy. You need a wide pan with a thick bottom, a piece of muslin to tie pips in, and clean jam jars. sterilized in oven first. I don't bother with fancy cellophane etc, just screw jar lids on while very hot to make a seal. Make sure jars and lids are scrupulously clean first, then put in a very low oven for 5 mins or so to sterilise them. 2lb of oranges makes about 6lb of marmalade.

Tbanks to you both. I tried making marmalade on Sunday/Monday. It was a total disaster. The muslin stuck to the bottom of the saucepan and burned; the marmalade never reached 106 degrees (setting point on my thermometer) and I have ruined the big saucepan my mother lent me! I feel very discouraged, though I think I can see what went wrong (I needed a smaller piece of muslin). Maybe I'll try the microwave recipe, once I have worked up the courage.

Oh Oldiemum - please don't be put off: at the risk of being annoying I'll try and talk you through the technique. Your mums pan will probably be fine after continual soaking in hot water: it will be the sugar that burned and it will come off with patience - I know . You need a big pan, and the muslin 'bag' should be suspended from a wooden spoon or the hadnle of the pan so that is is not touching the bottom (but that is not essential, as you have to take it out BEFORE boiling to set). Once you have simmered the peel to soft (up to 2 hours on a very low heat so you don't lose too much water) you add the sugar. Now, this is the important bit, if you put your weighed out sugar in a low oven for a couple of mins it will dizzolve quicker when you tip it into your pan. Stir sugar over the same low heat until you are certain that all the crystals have dizzolved. Don't use ordinary sugar for this, you need prezerving sugar which has bigger crystals which helps to prevent sticking. In the meantime, get your muslin bag and squeeze for all your life until all the sticky goo is in the marmalade. I use rubber gloves for this bit as the muslin will still be hot. Discard the muslin. Now, increase the heat to a rapid boil, stirring slowly but pretty continuously. When the movement of the boil has turned to a rolling boil, which means the whole surface is rolling rather than just bubbling, (maybe about 15 mins )take off the heat and dropa bit on a saucer from the freezer. Push it with your finger - if it wrinkles, its set. If not, repeat boil for 10 mins or so, and try again. I never use a thermometer, for the reason that the setting is easier judged by eye. It can take longer than you think to reach a set once you start the rolling boil, so don't stop stirring the bottom or walk away for too long. Does any of this help you understand what went wrong?