It’s chilly, windy and gray at Cowlick Cottage Farm, so I am making Satsuma and Bourbon Marmalade this morning. Satsumas are a sweet, juicy citrus–a cross between Mandarin orange and tangerine. They don’t have many seeds, which makes them really easy to work with and lucky for me, they grow well in our climate.
Marmalade and other jams and jellies are simple to make, as long as you follow the basic rules of preserving…your kitchen must be super-clean. Mason or Ball jars must be sterilized. And finally, recipes for preserving should be followed exactly.
Preserving is a little science and a little art. You must make sure that preserves are acidic enough to kill any bacteria, which is why it is so important to follow the recipe. Initially, preserving sounds a little complicated and scary, but it’s really an extremely enjoyable and relaxing activity. If you are interested in making your own preserves, I recommend that you get a good book that goes over the basics. I am really enjoying a book that my daughter gave me, Preserve It, by Linda Brown. This recipe is adapted from that book.
Most preserving recipes have just a few ingredients and are made to highlight the season’s fruits or vegetables. So when purchasing or picking fruit, make sure you look for the freshest and most perfect fruits you can find, and use organic produce whenever possible. When you are preparing the fruit for this marmalade, trim off the stem end of the clementines, as well as any brown spots.
I hope that you give preserving a try. Satsuma and Bourbon Marmalade is one of our favorites and is not only good on toast, it also makes a great glaze for roast chicken or pork. And it has the added benefit of making your house smell like sunshine!
Satsuma and Bourbon Marmalade
Ingredients
- 2 pounds organic Satsumas scrubbed, rinsed and halved
- Juice of 2 large lemons
- 4 ½ cups sugar
- 1-2 tbsp. bourbon or brandy
Instructions
- Put the Satsumas in a food processor and chop using the pulse button until they are shredded, but not mushy.
- Put the Satsumas in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook gently for 30 minutes or longer, until the rind has softened.
- Add the lemon juice and sugar, and cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat, bring to a boil, then keep at a rolling boil for 20-30 minutes or until the setting point is reached. Start testing for setting when a candy thermometer reaches about 220 degrees.
- Carefully stir the bourbon into the marmalade. The bourbon really makes the flavor of the Satsumas explode. If it is after noon, it is perfectly acceptable to take a little sip of the bourbon. Just to test it. I won’t tell.
- Ladle the beautiful marmalade into warm, sterilized Mason jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes, then seal. Store in a cool, dark place, and refrigerate after opening.
Comments
23 responses to “Satsuma and Bourbon Marmalade”
Love this recipe. Very easy and tasty. Note that you may not think your marmalade is thick enough even after temp. is reached. It will thicken up once canned and after opening and refrigerating. Definitely use at least the amount of Bourbon specified or you will not be able to taste it. Fabulous also as a glaze for ham and pork. Thanks!!
Thanks, Pam! Very true about the consistency of the marmalade, and I prefer my jams on the “soft” side. You can certainly add another glug of bourbon if you like, but the real magic of it is that the bourbon makes the citrus flavor really bright! We love this marmalade for all kinds of cooking–you can even blend some into soy sauce for an outstanding stirfry.
I’m new to this, but does this recipe require pectin?
No pectin required!
Hi, I’m going to make this for christmas. About how many ounces does this recipe yield?
Hi Lindsey, It makes about 5 half-pints. Enjoy!
This is soooo exciting, to read of all the delicious things I can do with my citrus this year. I know we won’t eat it all, so, as soon as my crowd all leaves after Christmas, I will try my hand at marmalade. Sounds wonderful…
Do I use jam sugar for this or just granulated sugar? x
Hi Abi:
You can use regular grantulated sugar. Enjoy!
Hi! This might be a silly question but do you peel the satsumas or use the peeling and all? Thank you so much, I am looking forward to making this!
-Sunny
Hi Sunny: You use the peel and all! Just give them a wash, and they’re ready to go. Enjoy!
I’ve been staring at a bowl of christmas satsumas and getting depressed because I know we wont eat them. So suggested to Carmela your recipe and we are making the marmalade as I type. We are using Jack Daniels. I will advise of outcome. Smell in lovely!
Hi Rob and Carmela: I’m so excited that some nice people across the pond are using my recipe! I am sure you will enjoy it…it’s been a family favorite here, and I need to make another batch before the sweet satsumas disappear for the season. Please do let me know how it turns out. Cheers!
I’m doing this one!!! Thanks for this recipe. We are giving homemade gifts as presents this year and this will be a perfect addition.
Homemade gifts are the best! Enjoy and happy holidays to both of you.
Wonderful! Both orange and Meyer lemon trees are loaded and I need a new marmalade recipe!I will be trying different recipes all winter – yours first…
The bourbon really enhances the citrus flavor. I wonder if you could mix oranges with a little Meyer lemon? I think it would work. That would be amazing on fish. Especially if you replace the bourbon with spiced rum! Mmmm.
This is an awesome combination! As you know, nothing beats the homemade stuff. We have been working through all of our canned goodies from the Summer.
We have, too, but I keep making more and am enjoying preserving whatever is in season. The local Satsumas won’t be around for long…one hard freeze and they are done. But we’ll still have some!
I do miss the berries and we’ve almost gone through the triple berry jam.
Nice to hear you use ‘satsumas’, people look at me like I’m from outer space! I used to help a friend make marmalade when I lived in England, enjoyed it. Like your encouraging nudges.
Satsumas are the best! They are a type of clementine, or tangerine, but they have no seeds and they are really easy to peel. Little kids love ’em! I planted a Satsuma tree this fall and am protecting it from the chill with big old Christmas lights. Can’t wait for its first fruit, but will probably need to wait a year or two, or three! The best time to plant a tree is NOW!
Hi Winnie! I love the unusual combinations you can experiment with when preserving. Another favorite of ours is mango-jalapeno jam. A little sweet and a little hot. You just can’t buy this stuff in the store. Thanks for visiting!
So glad you posted this- so simple and delicious, I am sure! Reminds me of a marmalade I made with kumquats and champagne last winter…yummy 🙂