MEYER LEMON MARMALADE

Last week I googled some meyer lemon marmalade recipes and read them over and over.  I was an avid canner back in the 70's and 80's so water bath canning is in my background.   As you may know, it really is relatively easy!  I have seen meyer lemons at our local grocery store for several months.  After reading a number of recipes, I settled on using 8 lemons to 4 cups of sugar and 4 cups of water....now how hard can that be?  The lemons I found were medium sized  so I would have used only 6 if they had been larger!

This recipe will make enough marmalade to fill  6 - 8 0z jelly jars.....

Ingredients: 8 medium meyer lemons which are sweeter than regular lemons, 4 cups water and 4 cups sugar

You will need a small water bath canner, 6 - 8 oz jelly jars, lids and screw bans and a candy thermometer

Another thing that I loved about this recipe is that if you work like I do - you can make this in 2 nights and spread the job out because the lemons soak in water 24 hours!  Wash the lemons and cut them into thin slices removing the seeds.  I found different uses for the seeds (many recipes call for putting them in cheesecloth to soak in the pot) but I just threw them away. The KIS method! I went ahead and chopped each lemon slice up here.  Using a good 5 quart non-reactive pot with a lid - soak the chopped lemons for 24 hours in the 4 cups of water. I sat mine on the stove - but no heat please!

Last night after work I brought the lemons in the water to a boil and simmered them for 45 minutes. Then I began to add the 4 cups of sugar to the pot over medium heat for another 30 minutes stirring often.  I turned the temperature up at the end and tested it with a candy thermometer to make sure it reached 220 degrees SO THAT IT WOULD THICKEN properly.  You don't want a runny marmalade!

Once it was nicely thickened, I poured it into my PREWASHED hot, dry jars using a funnel so as not to make a MESS!  Wiping the jars clean - putting on the lids and screw bands tight! Place in the canning pot with a metal holder and make sure all jars are covered with water at least 1".  YOU WILL BOIL THE JARS FOR 5 minutes!  Remove WITH   jar tongs carefully to cool! Place on a kitchen towel on the counter.

Like many of you, I find great pleasure in the POP - POP - POP as jars cool on a towel and the lids seal!  That occasional one that doesn't seal often can be pushed down with the finger later.

Now don't these look wonderful!  IF YOU HAVE A TEA ROOM and a commercial kitchen - you could sell these easily for $8.95 - 9.95 or you could sell them at the farmers market when made in your own kitchen!  Generally, prices are less at a farmers market than a retail shop.  The cost to make them was minimal- especially if you buy jelly jars on sale!  CANNING IS SO MUCH FUN - I LOVE IT!