Lemon Marmalade Recipe: Make a Meyer Lemon Marmalade
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Mar 18, 2022 • 3 min read
A sweet-tart lemon marmalade is straightforward to make and can be a flavorful addition to your morning toast or a yogurt parfait. Read on to learn how to make a two-ingredient lemon marmalade.
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What Is Lemon Marmalade?
Lemon marmalade is a sweet and tart condiment containing lemon peel, lemon juice, and lemon segments. Lemons and other citrus fruits, such as grapefruits and blood oranges, are high in pectin—a naturally occurring fruit starch that helps to set a marmalade recipe. Marmalades are similar in texture to jams; however, a marmalade uses only citrus fruits, whereas jam uses any fruit.
Both Meyer lemons and regular lemons will work for citrus marmalade, but the amount of sugar you must add to the recipe changes depending on the type of lemon you use. Meyer lemons are sweeter than regular lemons and have a slight orange flavor, while traditional lemons are larger and usually more tart.
How to Peel a Lemon for Lemon Marmalade
Waxy and thin, lemon peel is a key ingredient in lemon marmalade. Peeling the lemons properly is important to produce an attractive marmalade with the best possible flavor. Follow these steps to peel a lemon for a marmalade recipe:
- 1. Wash the lemons. The peel will go into the marmalade, so wash off any dirt or residue with light soap and water. Alternatively, use a specific fruit and vegetable spray. Any debris on the lemon will impact the final product’s flavor.
- 2. Remove the peel with a vegetable peeler. The lemon-peeling process is similar to peeling a potato. Start at the top of the lemon and work down to the bottom to get one long piece of peel. Leave the peel whole or slice the pieces into thin strips.
- 3. Scrape off any remaining pith. The pith is the bitter, white layer between the yellow rind and the fruit. Because the peel is so thin, it’s easy to get a little of the pith during peeling. Use a spoon to scrape off any pith stuck to the peel.
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Lemon Marmalade Recipe
makes
10 half-pint jarsprep time
15 mintotal time
1 hr 55 mincook time
1 hr 40 minIngredients
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- 2
Use canning jar tongs to submerge the canning jars in the boiling water for 1 minute.
- 3
Air-dry the half-pint jars on a clean, dry dish towel.
- 4
Place a small plate in the freezer.
- 5
Keep the large pot of water at a simmer over medium heat.
- 6
Peel the lemons, leaving behind the white pith.
- 7
In the simmering water, cook the lemon peel until it’s soft and pliable, about 1 hour.
- 8
Separate the fruit, pulling each wedge away from the membrane between the segments.
- 9
In a large saucepan over medium heat, use a potato masher to mash the lemon peel, whole fruit, and sugar to a pulp.
- 10
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook it for 20 minutes.
- 11
Take the small plate out of the freezer and spoon a small amount of marmalade onto the cold plate before placing it back in the freezer for 3 minutes.
- 12
Check the marmalade on the cold plate. If it’s set, it will wrinkle to the touch and ball up in your fingers.
- 13
If the marmalade is too loose, continue cooking it for another 10 minutes.
- 14
Repeat the plate test until the marmalade sets.
- 15
Bring the large pot of water back to a rolling boil.
- 16
With a ladle, carefully fill the half-pint jars, leaving an inch of headspace from the top of the jars.
- 17
Wipe the rims of the jars clean and secure the lids until they’re finger-tight.
- 18
With canning jar tongs, lower the filled jars into the boiling water.
- 19
Process the jars in the boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
- 20
Store the marmalade in a cool place at room temperature for up to 1 year. Refrigerate the jars after you open them.
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