Clementine Preserves

104

Prep Time:

1h 30m

Yield:

Makes 5-6 half pint jars

Easy peeling and minimal seeds make clementines ideal as a citrus winter preserve. Clementine Preserves are equally at home slathered on a buttered slice of toast or melted down with a touch of vinegar into a pan sauce to glaze chicken thighs or roast pork loin. A jar of this gifted with a loaf of homemade bread would surely brighten anyone's day.

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Products Used

Extra Fine Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bag

Ingredients

20 clementines
2 lemons
5 cups water
3 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar

Directions

Wash and peel clementines, reserving peel from three clementines. Set aside reserved peel and cut all clementines, first in half and then quarter halves. Put clementine pieces in a large non-aluminum pot. Do not use an aluminum pan as it can react with citrus. A cast iron dutch oven is ideal.
Peel both lemons reserving seeds. Cut lemon same as clementines and add diced lemon flesh to pot with clementines. Dice reserved clementine peel into small (1/4-inch) pieces and add to the pot. Add sugar and water and turn stove on to medium-high.
While the fruit and water are heating up, add reserved lemon seeds to a cheesecloth bag with a tie or place seeds in a piece of cheesecloth that you can tie with kitchen twine. Drop it into the pot. Bring the fruit to a boil, turn heat back to simmer and cook for 60-75 minutes, stirring occasionally until water evaporates and preserves start to thicken. Remove cheesecloth with lemon seeds from pot. If you'd like a smoother consistency preserve, use an immersion blender to pulse the preserves and rind until desired consistency is achieved.
Preserves will gel more as they cool. It's crucial not to overcook preserves and keep a close eye on it during the last 10-20 minutes as they can burn easily.
Transfer preserves to clean, sterile jars and store in the fridge up to 3 months.

Imperial Sugar Insight

Puree the rinds and clementine flesh with an emersion blender to create a bitter-sweet dream that's more like jam than marmalade.

Recipe developed for Imperial Sugar by Kelley Epstein @Mountain Mama Cooks.

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