This orange jam (orange marmalade) will be adored by marmalade haters. The orange zest is fine, leaving the pith out, making it sweet and full of orange flavor.
Many Persians love sour foods. They adore lemons and add it to everything. My mom’s side of the family (also Persian) adores jams of all kinds. It is not uncommon to find a plate of bread, feta and jam on the table after a big meal.
“A little sweet helps with the digestion.”
I adore all kinds of jams, from classically Persian like sour cherry jam to all American strawberry rhubarb jam. Since I have a garage full of wonderful Valencia oranges from our trip to the orange orchards a couple weeks ago, I am sharing my mother’s favorite: orange marmalade, also known as orange jam.
Recipe highlights
- Flavor: I am not a fan of store-bought marmalade as it tends to be bitter from giant chunks orange rind and more sugary than orange in flavor. But this orange jam is tastes like candied oranges and is thousands time better than anything store bought.
- Pectin Free: My orange marmalade recipe does not use additional pectin because oranges are already full of natural pectin. Plus I share my trick for extracting more pectin from the seeds.
- Versatile: You can use your orange jam on toast, enjoy it by the spoonful or even brush it on a fruit tart.
Ingredients you need
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- Oranges: I used Valencia oranges for this recipe. You will need the juice and the zest for the oranges. You can also use navel or cara cara oranges. They each offer slightly different flavors.
- Granulated sugar: Although I have made jam with brown sugar as well as with jam with honey, this orange jam is made with regular ‘ole sugar.
Step-by-step directions
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- Remove peel. Using a citrus zester, collect approximately ½ cup of orange zest.
- Juice oranges. Cut the oranges in half and collect 2 cups of juice.
- Reserve the seeds. Collect seeds and place in a small cheese cloth, tied with kitchen twine. The seeds will release additional pectin for the marmalade.
- Heat mixture. Add orange juice and granulated sugar in a small pot over and heat until sugar has dissolved. Stir in the zest and the cloth packet of seeds.
- Simmer. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer until jam thickens. Remove from heat and let seeds sit in the marmalade for 20 more minutes before removing.
- Chill. Transfer into an 8-ounce jar. If you are going to store in the refrigerator, cool until room temperature first then refrigerate. Or, if you are canning your jam, click here for hot water canning instructions.
Recipe tips and FAQs
If you are only making a jar or two of orange marmalade, just store it in the refrigerator. It lasts for a month or two in the refrigerator, that is if you don’t eat it all up before then.
You can also use freezer safe containers and freeze your extra jam. If you hot can your marmalade, it is recommended that it be used within a year. Canning your jam using hot water is a very easy technique. I have instructions on how to can with hot water here
Storing Instructions
CANNED: Jams that have been canned using hot water canning, can last in a cool dark pantry for up to a year. As long as the seal is intact and mold is not present, the jam is safe to eat past a year.
REFRIGERATE: You can also store jam in the refrigerator. The USDA says that it will last for 10 days, but I have found that it lasts longer than that. Use your best judgement.
FREEZE: There are freezer safe jam containers that can be used to store your jam in the freezer. Again, the USDA says it will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months but I have found that it does last longer. Again, use your best judgement.
Jam is usually made with whole fruit. Since citrus fruits are mostly juice, it is harder to make it into a jam. This is why you use the aromatic and flavorful zest as well as the juice to make marmalade. If you use the pulp from juicing the oranges, your jam will be thicker than normal orange marmalade, making it more jam like.
Marmalade can be used like any jam or jelly. Spread it on your toast, bagel or scone. Use it as a filling in thumbprint cookies. Serve it on a charcuterie board. It is also often brushed onto fruit tarts. You can also roast chicken or pork brushed with orange marmalade.
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Orange Jam (Orange Marmalade)
Ingredients
- 10 medium Valencia oranges
- ½ cup of zest
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Using a zester, remove the zest from 5 medium Valencia oranges. You should have approx ½ cup of zest.
- Cut the oranges in half and extract the juice from these oranges.
Continue juicing additional oranges until you collect 2 cups of juice. - Reserve the seeds collected from juicing and place in a small cheese cloth, tied with kitchen twine. The seeds will release natural pectin needed for the marmalade.
- In a small pot over high heat, add orange juice and granulated sugar. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
- Stir in the zest and the cloth packet of seeds.
- Bring mixture to boil, then reduce to medium heat and continue cooking until jam thickens, about 30-35 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let seeds sit in the marmalade for 20 more minutes before removing.
- Pour into an 8-oz jar and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
My valencia oranges do not have seeds. If the seeds generate the pectin, without the seeds, how long should I cook the oranges?
Hi!
Between the orange juice and the peels, you should have enough pectin. It might take 10-20 minutes more for it to get syrupy, but I doubt it would be longer than that.
Laura
I’ve tried this twice, both times followed recipe. 1st time cooked for 35 mins and 2nd time 30 mins. Both times it solidified and couldn’t even stick a knife into it! Any suggestions???
Keep cooking the jam mixture until the water reduces and the liquid thickens. Sounds like you just need to cook it longer, maybe 45 minutes. Oranges are naturally high in pectin, so you don’t need to add anymore to thicken the marmalade.
We love orange marmalade and your recipe sounds so good! I love the last photo – so cute!
I love that you did not use large chunks of orange here…so much better! This looks wonderful 🙂
lovely ! nice recipe and indeed looks heavenly
Orange heaven – no kidding! Those pictures are gorgeous. I love orange marmalade when it's homemade…and your suggestion of a little Grand Marnier sounds decadent. Yum!
Stunning! I'm hoping to make jams this year – my first time canning! I can't wait to try!
This marmalade is gorgeous and it looks so delicious! Perfect for toasts or muffins!
Yum! My other half loves Marmalade and our veg box scheme is having a big offer on oranges at the moment so I might have to try this! Thanks for the recipe. Sam
I absolutely love homemade marmalade's — these looks so yummy 🙂
I completely love home canning jams and the like. Made lemon marmalade recently and I was goiong to make some more orange marmalade. I'll have to try your recipe 🙂