Modern Pressure Cooking – Bren Herrera

I love New York so much I’ve considered moving there several times over the course of 20 years. It’s not just the energy and vibe. It’s also the food. In 1996 I walked into a super random mercado (street market) in Brooklyn to buy coffee and ended up perusing other aisles. I found this pretty jar with a French label reading “Marmelade d’Orange,” so I bought it and made my way back to Charlottesville, where I was studying at UVA. I fell in love with that amazing bitter orange “jelly.” But I was a broke college kid and $4.50 for jelly was not happening. I realized over time how much I love orange marmalade; I just want to make it for myself and store batches and batches worth. Sarabeth’s in Central Park was the second-ever marmalade I’ve had since 1996. That was just two years ago. I finally decided to make my own version. This is one you can enjoy along with the two other jam recipes. A tasting of all three with a variety of breads and Brie cheese is a nice way to host your friends.
 

Yields 8 cups (2.6 kg) marmalade

6 large Florida oranges (4 lbs [1.8 kg]), peeled (reserve the peel) and halved

3 whole cloves

3 cups (710 ml) water

3 tbsp (18 g) pith (white part of orange peel), minced

3 cups (600 g) sugar

Peel from half of the whole oranges

¼ cup (24 g) of the remaining orange peel, thinly sliced in 1⁄2″ (1.3-cm) lengths

2 tbsp (12 g) of the remaining orange peel, finely minced

Place a small glass plate in the freezer. This is how we’re going to test the doneness of the jam.
 

Add all of the ingredients to the pressure cooker and stir. Close the lid.

Stovetop: Set to high pressure (15 PSI) and cook over high heat for 35 minutes total.

Electric: Set to high pressure (10-12 PSI) and 45 minutes.

When done, remove from the heat or cancel the cooker and allow the pressure to release on its own (natural-release). When all of the pressure is out, open the cooker.

Stovetop: Bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the jam is reduced to your desired consistency, about 5 minutes.

Electric: Set to the simmer setting. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, or until the jam is reduced to your desired consistency. Check for doneness (see below). If not done after 10 minutes, transfer to a medium/large saucepan and bring to a boil for 5 minutes on the stove.

To check for doneness, remove the glass plate from the freezer and add a dollop of the orange marmalade to it. After 1 minute, if the jam has settled in place, it’s done. If it’s runny, it needs more time to set. Continue to cook, about 10 minutes, over high heat. When done, remove from the heat and discard the long orange peel before storing.

Transfer to mason jars and allow to cool before closing. Chill until ready to serve. Marmalade will keep for up to 4 months in the fridge.