Strawberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade Recipe (2024)

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Written by Marisa of Food in Jars.

It happens every February. Standing in line at my local produce market, buying a basket filled with local kale, potatoes and storage onions, I smell strawberries. At first I think I’m dreaming, until I glance to my right and see the display of red berries, shipped to the East coast from California or Mexico.

Knowing full well that those berries are bred for durability rather than flavor, I slip a container into my basket anyway. I’m ever hopeful that this will be the year that they’ll taste as good as they smell.

Sadly, just one bite reminds me of an essential truth. Buying out-of-season berries to eat plain is asking for disappointment.

Happily, all is not lost. Though the berries don’t do much for me on their own, I know that combined with sugar and slivers of Meyer lemon, they’ll transform into an entirely delicious marmalade. The end result is a loosely set spread that evokes strawberry lemonade and will get your juices flowing for the upcoming canning season.

I realize that for some of you, the Meyer lemons will be the hard-to-find element in this recipe. While they are worth searching out for their sweet-tart flavor, if they’re entirely impossible to find, you can substitute a combination of regular lemons and tangerines for the pound of Meyers that the recipe calls for.

Finally, if it’s at all possible, do seek out organic ingredients for this marmalade. Because the entirety of the Meyer lemon is used, unsprayed fruit is truly best.

Strawberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade Recipe (4)

4.75 from 4 votes

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Servings: 4 half pints

Calories: 508kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Meyer lemons
  • 1 pound strawberries
  • 1 pound granulated white sugar

Instructions

  • Wash and dry Meyer lemons. Trim off ends and slice the fruit in half from to top to bottom.

  • Using a sharp paring knife, cut out the pithy center core of each lemon half and remove seeds. Reserve both the pithy cores and seeds, as these will later be our pectin source.

  • When all lemons have been trimmed, slice the halves into thin half moons.

  • Place Meyer lemon slices into a glass or plastic bowl and cover with two cups of water.

  • Gather up the reserved seeds and pith and place them into the center of a cheesecloth square. Tie bundle up tightly to prevent seeds from escaping. Add this bundle to the bowl where the lemon slices are soaking. Cover and set aside.

  • While the lemon slices soak, wash strawberries and chop them well. Place them in a glass or plastic bowl and add the sugar. Stir to combine and cover.

  • Let both the lemons and the strawberries sit for at least an hour and up to three hours. Stir the strawberries once or twice if possible, to help the sugar draw out their liquid.

  • When you’re ready to cook the marmalade, first set up your canning pot. Place four half pint jars in a pot fitted with a shallow rack. The pot must be able to hold them fully submerged with at least an inch of water over top and an inch of space to allow the water to boil.

  • Place lids in a small saucepan of water and set over low heat.

  • Pour the lemons, their water, the strawberries and sugar into a large, wide, non-reactive pan that holds at least five quarts. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-high heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring regularly.

  • Marmalade is done when it reaches 220° F and passes the plate test.

  • Funnel finished marmalade into prepared jars. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

  • When time is up, remove jars from canner and let them cool on a folded kitchen towel.

  • When jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and check seals. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 133g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 330mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 122g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 126.8mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1.2mg

I like this marmalade rolled into crepes or stirred into Greek yogurt. How would you use it?

Strawberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade Recipe (5)

Marisa

Marisa McClellan is a food writer, canning teacher, and dedicated small batch canner who lives in Center City Philadelphia. Find more of her jams, pickles and preserves (all cooked up in her 80-square-foot kitchen) at her blog, Food in Jars. Her first book, titled Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round, is now available.

Strawberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you boil marmalade too long? ›

Don't overcook your marmalade

Lady Claire Macdonald, food writer: While you're testing your marmalade to see if it's set, take it off the boil. Otherwise you risk boiling away the water content, and ending up with a dark, over-thick marmalade that's dry and rubbery.

What are the proportions for marmalade? ›

“It can vary, but the rule of thumb for marmalade is usually that for every kilo of fruit, you double the water – so if it's one kilo of fruit, you use two of water. And then you use 1.5 times the amount of sugar,” says Armstrong.

Why do you soak fruit before making marmalade? ›

Add the shredded peel and muslin bag to the pan along with the water. Leave to soak overnight. This helps to extract the maximum amount of pectin from the fruit pulp, which will give a better set.

What is the ratio of sugar to fruit for jam? ›

(2)Most jam recipes call for a 1:1 ratio of fruit to sugar. I usually use a 75 % ratio, or 1 ½ pounds of sugar to every 2 pounds of fruit, unless the fruit is not very sweet, in which case, I adjust accordingly.

How do you know when jam is boiled enough? ›

1) The Saucer Test

You are aiming for a slow descent, not a runny mess. If it runs slow, it's set! You can also let the spoonful of jam sit on the cold plate for 30 seconds and then push it with your spoon or finger. If it wrinkles up, you've reached your setting point.

Do you boil marmalade with lid on or off? ›

Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and let simmer an additional 15 minutes or until citrus is very soft, stirring occasionally. Raise heat and mixture to a boil. Add sugar to citrus mixture and mix until well combined.

What is the secret ingredient in marmalade? ›

A Marmalade to Make

When it comes time to cook the oranges with sugar and water, it can be helpful to add the juice of a whole lemon, which contains pectin, to help the jelly set. Once the nappe point is reached (when the syrup coats the back of a spoon nicely), the hot marmalade is ready to be jarred.

What is the best sugar for marmalade? ›

Caster sugar is the one to avoid. The crystals are too fine, which is great for baking but they will dissolve too quickly when making marmalade. Granulated sugar is a good choice. The large crystals will dissolve quickly and cleanly, resulting in a clear, amber liquid that best shows off your perfectly floating peel.

Why won t my marmalade reach setting point? ›

If the proportions of fruit, acid, pectin, water and sugar in your pan are not balanced, the marmalade will be unlikely to set. Nine times out of ten, marmalade fails to set if the recipe does not have a precise weight of ingredients. Listing a number, e.g 4 Grapefruits will mean a variable weight.

How do you rescue over boiled marmalade? ›

Take a cup of hot water and add to the overcooked jam. After adding hot water stir it properly after 3min will get the same consistency of jam and you can have it.

How do you use overcooked marmalade? ›

How to Fix Overcooked Jam Ideas
  1. Slowly heat it in the microwave a few seconds at a time and then use it as usual.
  2. If it is still too thick, add some water while heating it in the microwave and then use it as a delicious and unusual pancake or ice cream syrup. ...
  3. Orange Marmalade Ice Cream Sundaes?
Aug 30, 2016

Can you reboil marmalade if it doesn't set? ›

As you have made a successful batch I doubt that it is because you didn't squeeze the muslin bag sufficiently so it's likely that it wasn't boiled enough. The size of the oranges shouldn't make any difference. You can re-boil it. You will need to empty the marmalade into the pan and add the juice of a lemon.

Is it possible to over boil jam? ›

If, on the other hand, the jam is rock solid, that means you've gone too far and cooked it too long.

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