Lime-Ginger Marmalade (Can Jam Challenge)

I can’t believe I signed up for this canning challenge. I took one class last summer at my CSA and while it seemed easy enough while I was there, it’s a whole other can of worms (no pun intended) doing it on my own.

This month we were supposed to feature something citrus. So yeah, not very local, but still fun. I considered making honeyed orange slices, because then I could at least use local honey. But what would I do with it? Marmalade seemed more practical. After scouring my many, many canning and preserving cookbooks (thanks mom!) I decided that lime-ginger marmalade sounded the yummiest.

Believe it or not, I found this recipe in Canning and Preserving For Dummies

The recipe seemed simple enough. I cut up the limes. Hmmm, it only took 2 1/2 to make 1 1/2 cups. I then zested the lemons. I had a hard time getting enough off the 4 lemons and had a horrible hand cramp. Stupid Pampered Chef zester. So I boil those along with the water, start the canner to boiling, and suddenly realize that the bag of sugar I was sure was in my pantry was NOT THERE. I dug through my cupboards. I found a bag of organic raw sugar. Gulp. Not cheap, but I didn’t have anything else.

Just then DH walked in, as I was measuring the sugar. Dang it! I needed 4 cups and only had 3. Luckily he had just bought some for a cooking project he’s working on this weekend so I grabbed a cup of his – which was also raw sugar. Crossing my fingers here.

I added the sugar and put the candy thermometer in. As I’m waiting for it to get to 235 degrees (which they estimate will take 30  minutes), I glance through the book. I see a little note “make sure you get an accurate thermometer. One degree difference can make your jelly gel improperly.” ONE DEGREE? I look back at my recipe. Oops, it was supposed to be 220. 15 minutes in and the temperature is already at 225. I try the spoon test. Definitely not gelling. Maybe my thermometer is wrong? I give it another 5 minutes, dipping spoons in right and left. Finally it looks like it’s sheeting, whatever that means. Still a lot of time left but the thermometer and spoon have spoken.

I then realize I don’t have a foam skimmer, so I push the foam aside as best I can and fill the jars. The sticky stuff gets everywhere, I do my best to wipe off the top but I figure everything has gone wrong already tonight and if it doesn’t seal I’ll just stick it in the refrigerator and eat within 2 months, as the recipe states. (Is that a bad sign? That the recipe itself gives directions on what to do if it doesn’t work out?)

While the jars are processing, I note that the marmalade drips have now become a sticky mess. That seems like a good sign. I taste it, out of curiosity. At first it’s very sweet. And then . . . .

HOLY BITTERNESS BATMAN!

So I find myself wondering, what did I do wrong? And I start to search the internet. Guess what? Marmalade is supposed to be bitter, turns out. It may mellow as it ages, but it’s declining in popularity because people want sweet things nowadays.

So I put the cans on the counter and go to bed.

This morning, I make my eggs and two pieces of toast. I pry open the jar. Looks like I’ll be eating these within two months. I stick in my spreader. Definitely should have ignored the spoons and gone with the thermometer. I manage to chisel out some marmalade and spread it best I can on a slice of toast. I take a bite: Citrus. Lime. Ginger. Toast. Wait for it . . . bitter. But it’s not too bad, maybe the toast cuts the bitterness. I take another bite. I find myself reaching for my other piece of toast and chiseling out some more. Because even though it has a bitter aftertaste, I can’t stop eating it.

The verdict: I’m not sure why I find the bitterness so fascinating. Maybe it’s like hoppy beer, once you get the taste for it you gain an appreciation. At least I finished the challenge for this month, though. And I DID learn something. That’s what this is all about, right?

Lime-Ginger Marmalade

4 limes
1/2 cup grated lemon zest
5 cups water
1/4 cup Ginger-root; fresh; minced
4 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1. Place the lime slices (cut in half lengthwise and sliced crosswise (about 1/8 inch thick, to measure 1 1/2 c of fruit), lemon zest, water, and ginger in a 5-6 qt pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil rapidly until the fruit is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove pot from heat.

2. While the fruit is cooking, prepare the canning jars and two piece caps. Keep them hot.

3. Measure the hot fruit mixture into a heatproof measuring cup and return to the pot. For each cup of fruit, add 1 cup of sugar to the hot fruit mixture. Return to the stove and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Cook the marmalade about 30 minutes until it sheets off a spoon or registers 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove the pan from the heat and cool the mixture for 5 minutes. Remove any foam from the surface with a foam skimmer.

4. Ladle your hot marmalade into the prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims, seal (hand-tightening the bands); process the filled jars in a water bath for 10 minutes from the point of boiling.

5. If any of the jars haven’t sealed, you can refrigerate them for up to 2 months.

Yield: 4 half-pints

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 serving (85.5 ounces). (this is based on if you eat all 4 jars; do the math according to your own serving size).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 3605.17
Calories From Fat (0%) 6.82
% Daily Value
Total Fat 0.86g 1%
Saturated Fat 0.13g <1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 46.91mg 2%
Potassium 479.67mg 14%
Total Carbohydrates 940.02g 313%
Fiber 13.07g 52%
Sugar 906.13g
Protein 3.03g 6%

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