This deliciously tangy, Simple Shredless Orange Marmalade is easy to make and doesn’t require any specialist equipment.
It can be made all year round with ordinary oranges and a lemon. You can even leave the shreds in if you prefer!
If you loved Robertson’s Golden Shredless Marmalade as a child or still love it now, then this is the perfect preserve for your breakfast table!
Background
I like recipes to be simple and straightforward and had therefore never got around to making marmalade back in 2014 when I developed this recipe.
I’d had this preconceived notion that you needed a muslin bag and Seville oranges at the very least.
So, after a Twitter chat with Sarah Churchill over at The Artisan Kitchen, I discovered that you can make marmalade out of ordinary oranges and not just Sevilles!
If you’ve never made marmalade before then I think Simple Shredless Orange Marmalade is the perfect recipe to start.
This marmalade can’t actually go wrong because even if your orange and lemon rinds haven’t quite softened enough (gone totally pulpy) it doesn’t matter as you’re not eating them but discarding.
You may be shocked by the amount of sugar in marmalade as it’s double the number of grams of fruit! Don’t be alarmed, this much sugar is normal for marmalade which is different from jam which often has a 1:1 ratio of fruit to sugar.
My family loves my Simple Shredless Orange Marmalade which is both sharp and tangy so I’m sure you’ll love it too!
Can you leave the orange and lemon peel in?
Yes, you can leave the sliced lemon and orange peel in the marmalade if that’s your preference and make a classic Orange Marmalade. You could also make a mixture of shredless and with shreds marmalade.
What types of oranges can you use to make Orange Marmalade?
You can use any oranges, I used Jaffa oranges but you can use Seville oranges (usually available in January) or even blood oranges.
Just make sure that your oranges are fresh and flavourful for the best-tasting marmalade.
Ingredients
Oranges – unwaxed preferable and as fresh as possible.
Lemon – adds tang. Again, unwaxed is preferable.
Granulated sugar – no need for jam sugar as plenty of pectin in the orange and lemon rinds.
How to make Shredless Orange Marmalade (brief summary)
- Pierce a hole in the end of the oranges and lemon.
- Place them in a pan with water (don’t worry the fruit won’t be fully submerged) and boil for 1 ¾ hrs under a lid.
- Once fruit can easily be pierced with a skewer, cut into quarters, remove pips, and slice up.
- Add cooking water and fruit pulp to a pan and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and add sugar, stirring to dissolve.
- Once sugar is dissolved, bring the pan to a rolling boil and time for 13 minutes or until 105C is reached on a digital thermometer.
- Test a few drops on a chilled saucer to see if the setting point has been reached, the jam should slightly crinkle when pushed with a finger.
- If not boil for another 2 minutes at a time until set reached.
- Place a large sieve over a bowl and pour marmalade in to strain out the shreds (or skip this step to keep shreds).
- Push any scum to the side of the pan and remove it with a metal spoon.
- Pot up marmalade into hot jars and screw lids on immediately.
How long will Shredless Marmalade keep?
This orange marmalade is shelf-stable and is best eaten within 12 months.
It will, however, keep for years if stored in a cool, dry, dark place.
Once opened, store it in the fridge, where it will keep for several months.
Serving Suggestions for Shredless Orange Marmalade
This child-friendly marmalade can be used in so many more ways due to being shredless.
- Use as a breakfast preserve spread on sourdough toast, croissants, crumpets etc.
- Stir into porridge or yogurt.
- Add to cakes and cookies such as my Chocolate Chip Marmalade Cakes.
- Use in desserts eg Marmalade Bread & Butter Pudding.
- Use as a glaze for joints such as Marmalade Glazed Gammon.
- Stir into gravy.
- Shake into a Marmalade Cocktail.
More Breakfast & Orange Preserves
For more breakfast preserve ideas check out the following:
- Pumpkin & Ginger Jam
- Peach & Apricot Jam
- Granny’s Quick Lemon Curd
- Granny’s Quick Blood Orange Curd
- Mirabelle Plum Jam
- Easy Kumquat Jam
Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
Pin Simple Shredless Orange Marmalade for later!
NB: Recipe originally published 13/03/2022 and updated 22/9/2023
Simple Shredless Orange Marmalade (or with shreds)
Equipment
- 1 Preserving pan or similar sized pan
- 1 Slotted spoon
- 1 long wooden spoon
- 1 Metal sieve
- 1 jam funnel
- 1 ladle
- 4 x 280 ml Jam jars and lids (or your choice of sizes)
Ingredients
- 670 grams oranges I used Jaffa
- 1 lemon weighing about 125 grams
- 1.59 kilograms granulated sugar can be warmed in oven to speed dissolving
- 1.15 litres water
Instructions
- Before you start, place 2 saucers in the freezer and sterilise jars (see notes).
- Wash the oranges and lemon to get rid of the wax coating (if not using unwaxed fruit). I use a dab of washing up liquid and rub all over each fruit, rinse with boiling water and then rub with a scouring sponge until clear, then give a final rinse.
- Pierce a hole in the end of the oranges and lemon (I used a large metal skewer).
- Place the fruit and water in as small a pan as they will fit (the water won't cover the fruit fully) and cover with a lid.
- Bring to the boil and then boil gently until soft (about 1 ¾ hrs) and test with a skewer. Do not lift the lid at any point before the end.
- When the fruit is easily pierced with a skewer remove from pan with a slotted spoon. Cut fruit it into quarters, remove pips and slice thinly.
- Transfer the hot liquid to a large preserving pan and add the cut up pulp.
- Place a few saucers in the freezer to test for set.
- Bring the liquid and pulp to the boil, then turn down heat to low and add the sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolved (until no crunching sounds can be heard).
- Turn heat up to high to bring mixture to a rolling boil (see photo in post above) and time for 13 minutes (or reaches 105°C on a digital thermometer), still stirring. You can tell when jam is nearing readiness as a drop of marmalade will cling to wooden spoon as you pour it off.
- Test a few drops on a chilled saucer and put in the fridge for 30 seconds. If it forms a gel like crinkle when pushed it is ready. Otherwise carry on boiling for 2 minutes intervals and re-testing (mine took 15 minutes).
- Strain the marmalade through a large metal sieve placed over a clean bowl, squeezing the rinds with the back of a spoon. Or skip this step for marmalade with shreds.
- Push any scum to the side of the pan and remove with a metal spoon.
- Use a ladle and jam funnel (if you have one) to fill the hot sterilised jars and screw on lids immediately.
- Makes at just over 3 x 280 ml (9 oz) jars.
Emmet O'Donoghue
Do the oranges and lemon have to be completely submerged in the first boiling. Mine are on the range now for the past 35 minutes and 1 orange and the lemon are half submerged but it’s a lovely rolling boil and I don’t want to disturb them. I notice that the last comment was in 2014 so I hope you are still around. First time making marmalade. Thanks for recipe whatever. Emmet
Camilla
Hi Emmet, I’m definitely still around as this post was updated in Sept 2023. I’ve looked back at my photos and the oranges and lemon were not fully submerged. I will add a line about this in the recipe to clear up any confusion so thank you for flagging up.
Emmet O'Donoghue
Hi Camilla I should of read the comments further as I noticed one on sept 23. Now mine are finished and jarred up. It didn’t reach 105c but it made it to 103c that was after 40 minutes so I decided to take it off the heat and sieve it. It filled 3 1/4 jars and I’m happy with that. I scraped a slice of bread along the bowl that had the filling in and it definitely tasted like shop bought so it should taste better than shop bought when set. I reread your notes and I thought I read that you have to leave in a dark and cool place to set for 48 hours, is that correct? So far so good Camilla and I look forward to a couple of slices of toast in 2 days. Thanks again for the recipe. Emmet
Camilla
Hi Emma, I can only think that you didn’t have the marmalade on the highest heat for a full rolling boil as it should only take 13 minutes, it should bubble right up to near the surface of the pan. I’m not sure that the marmalade will set if you only got it to 103C but if you did the chilled plate test and it formed a gel then it should work. I don’t recall mentioning 48 hours. It should be ready as soon as it’s cooled, I usually wait until the next day to check.
Emmet O'Donoghue
Hi Camilla your right it did set the 1/4 jar I put in the fridge. I’m amazed at how many jars you get out of 3 oranges and a lemon. I don’t have to worry about buying them for a few months. Your right I didn’t have the heat up high enough I just had a rolling boil, lesson learned. Definitely glad I found your recipe. Emmet
Camilla
Hi Emmet, glad it all worked out OK in the end. A rolling boil is a term referred to in all jam making and it’s where large bubbles form and splatter, they often reach up to the top of the pan. It sounds like you hade the marmalade on a simmer, ie small bubbles.
Annette
Hi Camilla, I’m looking for an easy recipe and yours looks fab 😉 two questions please: Could I chop up the fruit and simmer it, which would reduce the cooking time and ££ saved; and, could I strain it all the shreds and pulp after it’s boiled once, before adding the sugar rather than after the marmalade is made ? This would avoid a sticky sieve and also potentially losing some marmalade stuck to the shreds… what are your thoughts? Many thanks indeed!
Camilla
Hi Annette, sadly cutting up the fruit and boiling will not spread up the cooking time as the orange rinds take that long to cook either way (check other recipes). I’ve not tried your next suggestion either so can’t vouch for the effect it would have on flavour. The sticky sieve is really not an issue under a hot tap and the shreds when squeezed withe back of a spoon do give up their juicy Marmalade very well.
Helen
Hi! I love the consistency of this marmalade, but I find it way too sweet. When I reduce the sugar, it doesn’t set completely resulting in a runny marmalade. Can I add another lemon or how do I get a firmer consistency with less sugar?
Camilla
Hi Helen, I think the solution could be to add sugar free pectin as I couldn’t vouch for adding more lemon which may not work. You’d need to follow the package instructions as it’s not something I ever use. Also wondering if you boiled the marmalade until it passed the set test on a chilled plate? If you have a digital thermometer you’re aiming for a temperature of 105 – 105.5C before testing. Reducing the sugar would probably have increased the boiling time.
Lucy
Wow this a great recipe , looking so delicious . Thank you , nice video .
Camilla
Thank you so much Lucy, glad you like it:-)
Miriam Wardman
Super, lovely recipe! Easy to follow and works an absolute treat. I can add that it works with navel oranges, blood oranges and Jaffa oranges too. Thank you Camilla.
Camilla
Thank you so much Miriam and loving the sound of the blood oranges version:-)
Joan
Thank you so much for this recipe. It is the best shredless marmalade l have ever made. It was a straightforward easy recipe and the result was amazing – a perfect set and delicious taste. Thank you.
Camilla
Wow Joan, thank you so much, now I really want to go and make some 🙂
Margaret
Made your marmalade came out ok but think I used too much sugar,please explain is it1.Kilo plus 59 grams or 1Kilo and590 grams of sugar?? sorry maths is very bad. also the same with water !litre and 15ml or 1Litre and 150ml??
Camilla
Hi Margaret, no worries. 0.5L equals 500 ml. So 1.59 L equals 1,590 ml or 1 L and 590 ml. The water is 1 L and 150 ml. 1000 ml in a L.
Susie Portugal
In your reply to Margaret you confirm the amount of sugar to use is 1,590ml but your recipe states 1.590kg. There is a slight difference according to Google. I use about 1.35kgs as I prefer it less sweet. However I’ve made your recipe countless times and it’s absolutely delicious every time. I’ve made a couple of changes to your recipe, 1) I strain the fruit out of the liquid just prior to the setting point, that way I get a better yield. 2) I add a few tablespoons of whiskey just after I reach setting point, the flavour is wonderful and it still sets beautifully. Thanks so much for sharing.
Camilla
Thank you Susie, I think I got my ml and kg mixed up that day! Glad you like the recipe and have added your own twist to it:-)
Jh
Do you scoop the flesh out of the skin as there is no instructions to peel the fruit I presume you cook it while it only says slice it then the peel would go in
Camilla
Hi JH, you’ll see in the step by step photos that the skin is there and it’s not mentioned to remove it as it stays along with the flesh until it’s sieved at the end.
Sean Sinnott
Camilla
Tried today brilliant recipe and very tasty, well done Camilla and thank you!
Sean
Camilla
Awesome Sean, so glad you like it:-)
Sean Sinnott
Ok no problem Camilla, I’m going to give this a go as it’s the taste that counts anyway, thanks for the reply!
Camilla
Exactly, I don’t think you’ll have any complaints on that score:-)
Sean Sinnott
Hi Camilla
I’ll be a first timer and also live in Spain where shredless marmalade is hard to get but I prefer if possible more of a jelly like consistency, is this possible with this recipe? Thank you.
Camilla
Hi Sean, I wouldn’t know how to change the consistency and having had a look at many online marmalade recipes non of them looked like Golden Shred jelly type.