Marmalade has a long and storied history, dating all the way back to the Ancient Greeks. However, it wasn’t until the 18th century in Britain that marmalade as we know it today – a sweet, tangy preserve made from citrus fruit – really took off. Today, I’m excited to share with you a marmalade recipe that’s a little off the beaten path but absolutely delicious: Rhubarb And Orange Marmalade. This marmalade combines the tartness of rhubarb, a vegetable often used as fruit, with the sweet and tangy flavor of oranges. The result is a preserve that’s equally at home on your morning toast as it is swirled into a yogurt or used as a glaze for a roast. I love this recipe because it’s a fantastic way to make use of rhubarb, a seasonal produce that’s often overlooked. Plus, making your own marmalade is a wonderful way to control what goes into your food – you can adjust the sugar level to your taste, and there’s no preservatives or artificial colors. Not to mention, a jar of homemade marmalade makes a thoughtful and delicious gift! So, are you ready to make some marmalade? Let’s get started!
Ingredients
- 6 c. rhubarb, cut up fine
- 6 c. sugar
- 2 oranges, ground up fine
Marmalade Preparation
- Wash and cut up rhubarb.
- Measure 6 cups of sugar.
- Mix well and let stand 2 hours or more.
- Wash and grind up 2 oranges and add to rhubarb and sugar.
- Boil about 20 minutes.
Calorie: 60
Total cooking time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Difficulty level: Easy
A Sticky Tale: Rhubarb And Orange Marmalade Madness
Well, there I was, standing in the middle of my kitchen with a mountain of rhubarb, a bag of sugar, and two innocent oranges. The mission? Whip up a batch of Rhubarb and Orange Marmalade. Gulp.
The Rhubarb Rumble
I started with the rhubarb, which, if you don’t know, has the texture of celery but dreams of becoming dessert. It’s like the vegetable version of a Disney princess. If you’re wondering how to cut rhubarb, it’s pretty straightforward. Just pretend it’s that annoying neighbor who always parks in front of your driveway, and chop it up… into fine pieces, of course.
The Sugar Saga
Next came the sugar. 6 cups, to be exact. It felt like I was building a sweet, sweet sandcastle, only to realize I wouldn’t be crowned the king of the beach but rather the duke of diabetes.
Mingle Time
After mixing the rhubarb and sugar, I let it stand for a couple of hours. I imagine them getting to know each other, talking about their dreams, bonding over their shared fate. Perhaps the sugar whispers sweet nothings into the rhubarb’s ears.
The Orange Odyssey
After a couple of hours, it was time to bring in the oranges. Now, the recipe said ‘ground up fine’, but if you think I own any kitchen appliance that can ‘grind’ an orange, you’ve greatly overestimated my culinary prowess. It was more of a massacre than a grinding, but the oranges were eventually reduced to a pulpy mess.
The Boiling Battle
The final step was to boil the rhubarb, sugar, and orange medley for about 20 minutes. This is where the real magic happens. The sugar dissolves, the rhubarb softens, the oranges… well, they just kind of exist, but they provide a delightful citrusy undertone.
The Marmalade Mayhem
After the mixture had been bubbling away for 20 minutes, it was finally time to jar my marmalade. As I poured the molten fruit mix into the jars, I felt like a mad scientist, concocting a deliciously sticky potion.
All in all, making rhubarb and orange marmalade is a bit like life. It’s messy, it’s sweet, it’s tangy, and it involves more rhubarb than you ever thought you’d use. But in the end, you’re left with something delicious that you can proudly say you made yourself. If that’s not a metaphor for life, I don’t know what is.
