Lemon Marmalade | Canning Instructions Included

This easy Lemon Marmalade is a delicious addition to your pantry. Step by step canning and freezing instructions included.

This recipe is incredibly easy. There is no two day cook, no cheesecloth bags full of pith and seeds no soaking and it has a short cook time. You can have a batch done from start to finish in less than an hour.

What is marmalade?

Marmalade is a fruit preserve that can be traced back to at least Ancient Rome. It is usually made with citrus fruits. The most common is orange marmalade which was traditionally made with slightly bitter Seville oranges.

There are many different types of citrus or combinations thereof, such as; lemon, Meyer lemon, lime, key lime, grapefruit, pink grapefruit, tangerine, tangelo, kumquat, mandarins and the like.

It is also made in combination with non citrus fruits, such as; strawberries, rhubarb, pineapple, quince, blueberry, carrot, zucchini, green tomatoes and others, in concert with the citrus. Additional ingredients like ginger and lavender can also be included.

What’s the difference between lemon curd and lemon marmalade?

To put it simply, lemon curd is more like a pudding. It is made with eggs, butter and less sugar than lemon marmalade.

Lemon marmalade is more like a jam. It is a spreadable, sweet / tart topping for lots of different things. See section below for uses.

Lemon curd has a shorter life span and must be refrigerated. Lemon marmalade can be water bath canned and is shelf stable for a minimum of a year.

Should I use commercial pectin?

Lemons and citrus fruits, in general contain high concentrations of pectin. They can be canned using just three ingredients, namely lemon, sugar and water.

The pectin is extracted from the seeds and pith which need to be cooked for a longer period of time or even refrigerated overnight. Using commercial pectin also eliminates the use of a candy thermometer and freezing plates to check for set.

Using commercial pectin shortens the cook time and is generally less labor intensive. You can use either liquid pectin or powdered pectin.

I have done it both ways but prefer to use the pectin because it is so fast to make a batch.

The first time I made it without pectin, the color got dark because I had to cook it so long for it to reach set temperature. The sugar got caramelized, so the color wasn’t that beautiful yellow that it should be. It was still delish just not as pretty. See below photo.

Ingredients you need

• lemons -I suggest using organic lemons since we are using the peel. The peel can absorb chemicals used for insect and disease prevention.
• pectin – use regular liquid or powdered pectin if canning but use freezer pectin if you want to freeze the marmalade, instead of canning.
• sugar – use regular white sugar, demerara sugar, raw sugar, or honey
• water

How to make it

1. Add powdered pectin and about ¼ cup of the sugar to a small bowl. ( If using liquid pectin, refer to package instructions for quantity.)
2. Mix well.
3. Wash and dry lemons well. Peel the lemons using a sharp paring knife or a good, sharp vegetable peeler.
4. Stack sliced peels on top of themselves.
5. Slice lemon peels very into thin strips about 1 inch long with a sharp chef’s knife.
6. Cut off both ends of the lemons.
7. With a sharp paring knife, slice off a strip of the pith (the white stuff left after peeling) Coming very close to the flesh of the fruit.
8. With you knife at an angle, scrap against the fruit and pull up the pith. Remove as much of the pith as you can.
9. After getting most of the pith, just scrape any areas that are thicker.
10. When you’ve gotten most of it off, you can see the yellow of the flesh below.
11. Slice lemons crosswise. Remove the membrane in between the pieces of flesh.
12. Rough chop the lemon flesh.

To make and can the jam

1. Place the skin slices in a small saucepan with 2/3 cup of water.
2. Place lemon pulp and collected lemon juice in a large saucepan with the rest of the water. Turn the burner to low to start to soften the pulp.
3. Cook the skin for about 5 minutes to soften.
4. Combine the zest , along with the water is was cooked in, with the pulp.
5. Slowly stir in pectin. Bring to a boil that can not be stirred down, stirring constantly.
6. Once boiling, add the remainder of the sugar all at once. Stir constantly until it comes to another full rolling boil (one that can’t be stirred down). Boil one full minute. Remove from heat. Skim foam if needed. Most of the time, if you keep stirring for a couple minutes after you remove the pot from the heat, you can stir the foam down.
7. Heat your jars, lids and canning pot before starting with the jam. For more information on how to easily do this, see our canning for beginners article here. Ladle hot jam into hot canning jars using a canning funnel and ladle, leaving ½ inch headspace. (the space between the marmalade and the rim of the jar.)
8. Remove air bubbles with wooden or plastic chop stick or similar tool.
9. Wipe rims of all debris with a clean, damp cloth or towel.
10. Center lids on jars. Screw on bands fingertip tight.

Place jars on the rack in your boiling water bath canning pot. Bring to a boil. Process jars for 10 minutes. Set timer after water has come to a boil.

Once time is up, remove canning pot from burner. Allow jars to sit in the hot water for at least 5-10 minutes so they can start to cool down slowly. This will minimize siphoning.

Remove the jars from the water and place on counter. Leave them for 12-24 hours and then test the lids for a seal. Press the lid in the center. If it flexes up or down, jar is not sealed and should be stored in the refrigerator and used first.

Instructions for freezing lemon marmalade

If you would like freeze it instead of canning it, use the the instructions above for making lemon marmalade BUT use special freezer pectin, instead of regular pectin.

Once the jam is made, remove it from heat and let it cool slightly, when using plastic storage containers. If you are using freezer jars, ladle hot jam into hot jars, this time leaving 1- inch headspace.

Let it come to room temperature on the counter. Then freeze for at least 6 months.

How to use it

Lemon marmalade is so versatile.

• One of our favorite uses is this lemon marmalade dipping sauce for coconut shrimp.
• Make a great glaze for pork, ham, fish and chicken.
• It is great on peanut butter sandwiches.
• Mix with powdered sugar and water for a delicious glaze for shortbread cookies, cakes and quick breads.
• Mix it into oatmeal, cottage cheese or yogurt for a delicious treat.
• Use it in cocktails.
• Add a spoonful to your iced tea to make it a lemon tea.
• Makes a tangy topping for vanilla ice cream.
• Use it like jam for scones or toast.
• Make crostini appetizers with cream cheese, brie or goat cheese topped with jam.

How to store marmalade

Store processed, sealed jars in a cool dark place, like a basement. Small batches can be made and refrigerated.

Opened jars will last at least a month, refrigerated.

If you make it with freezer pectin, it can also be frozen.

How long will marmalade last?

Sealed jam jars will last at least one year in a cool dark place. If using the new Ball brand lids that are guaranteed for 18 months then they will be good for at least that long.

Jars that are not processed will store in the refrigerator for a couple months, if they are unopened. Opened jars will last at least a month.

Frozen jam can be stored in the freezer for about 6 months. Be sure to use freezer pectin.

Related recipes

• Coconut Shrimp with Lemon Marmalade Sauce
• Pickled Peppers, hot – sweet
• Low Sugar Peach Jam Recipe
• Canning Blueberry Jam Recipe
• Carrot Cake Jam
• Fermented Lemons

What tools do you need?

Technically not all of the tools below are required but they make the job faster and easier.

• canning pot
• canning tools
• vegetable peeler
• paring knife
• cutting board

This is the best lemon marmalade you will ever eat. So much better than store bought. It’s also incredibly easy and fast.

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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!

Enjoy. And have fun cooking!