January 7, 2014

Barbara’s Gorgeous Meyer Lemon Marmalade

Meyer Lemon Marmalade | The Naptime Chef

Over the holidays I shared a picture on instagram of my friend Barbara’s gorgeous Meyer lemon marmalade. She had made it using the lemons from her Meyer lemon tree and gave it out as gifts from the holidays. It was easily the most gorgeous lemon marmalade I’ve ever seen. It was a pale yellow with the thinnest strips of rind and tasted like a mild lemon drop. I am speaking about it in the past tense because it’s time has passed. It is g-o-n-e, gone. Over the course of the holiday I made several slices of toast, slathered each one with jam, and used it right up!

Meyer lemons will be showing up at our local green grocer soon but this year I am going for broke. Drawing inspiration from Barbara, who maintains her potted Meyer lemon tree in the Northeast, I ordered my own! I am hoping beyond hope that it will thrive in my dining room this winter until I can move it outside for the summer. It may be wishful thinking, but I’ve done my research and I think it just might work. I’ll keep you posted!

Meyer Lemon Marmalade | The Naptime Chef

In the meant time, after I posted the picture I immediately got requests for the jam recipe and Barbara sent it along. Turns out it making it is a total snap! I shared the recipe with my mother and she agreed that is a good recipe – it is the same one she uses. You can easily make this with a hefty bag of Meyer lemons you pick up at the store this winter. In fact, do yourself a favor and double or triple the recipe. You can seal the jars and keep them to give out at Easter or next summer. Or, of course, you can always just send some to me.

Barbara’s Gorgeous Meyer Lemon Marmalade

Prep Time: 24 hours

Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: 3 pints (6 ½ pints)

adapted from Epicurious

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Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds Meyer lemons (about 6 lemons)
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 cups granulated sugar

Instructions

  1. Halve the lemons and remove the seeds. Save the seeds and place them in a sack of cheesecloth. Slice the lemon halves very thinly and place them in a large pot. To the pot add the water and the seeds. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
  2. Place a porcelain plate in freezer. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the mixture has reduced to 4 cups, about 45 minutes. Stir in the sugar and keep stirring for about 15 minutes, or until is has dissolved. Skim foam off as necessary. Drop a teaspoon of the hot jam on the plate and tilt the plate. If it runs straight down it is not ready. Stir for 5 minutes more. When the jam has jelled and doesn't run down the plate it is ready.
  3. Ladle the jam into sterilized jars and close. Seal with a hot water bath if desired.

Notes

For interesting flavors try stirring in some fresh vanilla beans.

https://thenaptimechef.com/2014/01/barbaras-gorgeous-meyer-lemon-marmalade/

26 Responses to “Barbara’s Gorgeous Meyer Lemon Marmalade”

  1. Lizthechef says:

    I cannot wait to try this! I make a ML marmalade that tastes OK, but it is brown – I love the color here. The fruit on our tree is ripe – some of it – so I have your recipe clipped to the side of my fridge. I love this!

  2. Lizthechef says:

    Question: what do you mean “11/2” Meyer lemons in your measurements??

    • KelseyTheNaptimeChef says:

      Oops! I will correct. Supposed to be 11/2 pounds. It can be doubled or tripled! I just ordered my own dwarf Meyer lemon tree – wish me luck. How I wish to have a lush tree!

      • Darlene Parker says:

        I am confused. The recipe states 1 1/2 pounds (about 6) lemons.

        • KelseyTheNaptimeChef says:

          Yes, if you weigh 6 Meyer lemons they usually weigh around 6 pounds. So if you can’t weigh them at the store but 6 or 7 and when you weigh them at home they should weigh about 1 1/2 pounds. Does this help?

          • Darlene Parker says:

            Meyer lemons are small. It’s not possible for 6 of them to weigh 6 pounds. Why would they weigh 6 pounds in the store and 1 1/2 pounds at home?

          • KelseyTheNaptimeChef says:

            No- 6 Meyer lemons should weigh 1.5 pounds. That is how it is meant to read.

  3. Heather @ Curly Girl Kitchen says:

    I was just thinking the other day how much I love orange marmalade and wondering what a lemon marmalade would taste like. Looks delicious!

  4. Barbara | Creative Culinary says:

    I just purchased some Meyer Lemons and then you magically appear with a solution for how to use some of them. I am SO going to get a tree; I hear people have great results with them indoors. Hoping you do too! Happy New Year Kelsey!

    • KelseyTheNaptimeChef says:

      Hi Barbara, I am so glad! I LOVED this marmalade. It really is a winner. The tree is going to be so much fun to have. We can compare harvests! Best, Kelsey

  5. Darlene Parker says:

    My mom has a Meyer lemon tree. She lives in Florida (just east of Tampa). She grows pineapples, bananas, sugar cane, avocados, oranges, Ponderosa lemons, pigeon peas (gandules), tomatoes, and herbs. She has quite the green thumb. She also talks to her plants. She does not have a huge backyard but she does good care of it using the compost she makes. I have done the same here in NYC (Queens). I live on the 18th floor and keep a Rubbermaid container full of dirt and add in vegetables peelings and eggshells. The soil lies in the container all winter and I put it back in my planters in the Spring.

    • KelseyTheNaptimeChef says:

      Hi Darlene – I LOVE this story. Isn’t it remarkable what you can do in an apartment? I bet your plants are super happy come spring. Your mom’s garden sounds incredible. Maybe someday us Northeastern-dwellers will be able to grow citrus like that too. 🙂

  6. pattycake says:

    I took out 1/2 cup of water, and added lavender infused water. yummmm…

  7. Charlene says:

    Do they have to be Meyer lemons? Would standard ones work? I have 2 lemon trees in my yard that have greatly (and then some!) blessed me.

    • KelseyTheNaptimeChef says:

      Hi Charlene,

      I am sure regular lemons would work great. You might need to cut more of the white pith out of the core since regular lemons can be pithier. The pith can taste a little bitter. You might also want a little extra sugar depending on your lemons. But that is really up to you. Let us know how it goes!

  8. […] cheery green color of this vintage-style jars are perfect for spring. If I hadn’t been the mood for more marmalade I might have used them as flower vases for our dining room table and pretended it was […]

  9. […] for my children’s hands, we’ve all been chowing down. I also made yet another batch of Meyer lemon marmalade because I am truly dealing with an addiction at this point. This sweet care package is definitely […]

  10. […] she’s the one that got me on my marmalade making kick to begin with. Since I have plenty of Meyer lemon marmalade on hand, as well as a dozen or so oranges, I decided to combine the two to make my own citrusy […]

  11. USED2B718 says:

    I’m new to home preserving. Can I use a little liquid pectin to make sure the marmalade firms up?

  12. […] card designed by PVE Design, it was attached to my friend Barbara’s signature Meyer Lemon Marmalade. Barbara makes them with the lemons she grows in her yard! Such a fabulous homemade gift to look […]

  13. […] freeze my herbs from the garden and bring whatever plants I can inside for the winter. This year my Meyer Lemon tree is wintering in our dining room along with this beautiful rosemary plant. Not all herbs tolerate […]

  14. Nancy M. says:

    6 of my Meyer Lemons weigh 2.25 pounds. I live near Sacramento, Ca and the tree is planted on the south of my home between the sidewak and the house. Lots of Summer heat. I don’t have the patience to cut the rind, I use a micro plane grater and away I go.