How long do you leave marmalade in the pan before potting it

[NoNameNowAgain]

And does it ever go mouldy? I never get perfect peel distribution.

I always pot mine straight away, no problems with mould or peel distribution. I usually sterilise jars by putting them through a dishwasher cycle, and ladle/jug by rinsing in boiling water. Put lids on straight away too.

Thanks. The peel always rises. I’m assuming I don’t leave it in the pan long enough, but how long can I leave it without the risk of mould.

I'm making marmalade today! It's on the final stage and I am waiting for the wrinkle test. Jars have been washed (by hand or by dishwasher) then put on a tray with their lids in the oven at 100 degrees. I will fill them still hot then put the lids on as soon as I can handle the jars. Cooled, wiped with a hot cloth, labels added then stored.

And the peel doesn’t rise in the jars?

The peel rose in the last batch I made. No idea why as it hasn't previously.

I'm never quite sure when my jam/jelly/marmalade are ready. I've carried on boiling when it doesn't seem to be wrinkling on a plate and then it's like glue 🤷‍♀️. I actually find how it costs the thermometer a better gauge.

If you let it cool, it’s more likely to go mouldy. You need the heat inside , as it cools it contracts the lid down and makes the seal.

Yes, but the theory is that the peel is less likely to rise.
The recipe says twenty minutes, but it still seems to rise.

Coats?

Not had that problem so far.
How long do you boil the peel before adding the sugar etc.?

see recipe

I use a slightly different recipe from the River Cottage Handbook series (and I cheat with a food processor for the juicing and slicing bit). I think the overnight soaking might help with keeping the peel evenly spread through the marmalade.

Yes - coats!

I use the whole fruit method (over the page from the screenshot above) and leave it 15 minutes. It remains evenly distributed.

Interesting.
Thanks all.

I make 50 jars a year and have done for 30 years.I pot it up after 15 minutes and maybe once in 30 jars the lid doesn't seal properly. And no, it never goes mouldy and the peel doesn't float. We're eating 2022 batches at the moment.

I’d better stick with twenty minutes

Just in case it's interesting to anyone else, I freeze the oranges , then defrost them and make food processor marmalade when I've got time.

I also find it can be hard to get the wrinkle test accurate. It mostly works, then occasionally not!

I'm looking for inspiration for different flavours combinations. My favourite so far is ginger marmalade and have tried whiskey, which was good too. What other flavours could I try?

Mine sealed well this time and the peel hasn’t risen after I left it in the pan for twenty minutes this time. Thanks

Different citrus fruits?

Orange and grapefruit can be nice.

Me too! Been making it like this for years and it never goes mouldy and even peel distribution. I also cheat and use the food processor once the whole fruit has been cooked.

I wash the jars and sterilise them in a low oven, no problems with mould. Seville this time, I’ve made marmalade with grapefruit and ‘normal’ oranges in the past successfully.

I've just made my first ever batch, using that whole fruit method from the river cottage book. Peel seems to be evenly distributed. I like the idea of using a food processor for the chopping.

I put all the jars and lids in the oven at 100C, take them out, let the large pot of marmalade drop in temperature to about 80-90C and ladel hot marmalade into each jar using a jam preserving funnel. I fit the jar lids and next morning when cool, the marmalade in the jar is in a vacuum and the lid dimple is down. The vacuum may be so high I need to run hot water over the jar lid to remove it and get the reassuring 'pop'.

I just bought one of those Follows & Bate Victorian 'Magic' peel choppers off Ebay. But don't all go out buying one. Most are sold as 'Antiques' to restore and show off on display. I had to re-engineer it a little to make it useful and it now works well as a peel shredder for marmalade. Plenty of photos and info about them as curiosity pieces, but nobody (except Victorians) knows how to prepare the peel to use them.😡

Marmalade not setting? Happened to me and now I apply science - digital thermometer (104.5C) and a %sugar refractometer, cheap off Ebay. You won't get set if you haven't extracted enough Pectin and boiled out water down to about 60-64% sugar concentration. I start with 1Kg fruit, 2kg sugar and 2l water and when boiled down makes 7 jars of great setting marmalade.😀