Meyer Lemon Marmalade

If you ask me what my favorite type of produce is I couldn’t give you an answer. Zero chance. I could *maybe* give you an answer if we broke that down into types in some categories, but quite possibly not because I love them all. The one exception to this is citrus. Now don’t get me wrong, I love citrus across the board, but the Meyer lemon is elite. And because they’re only in season for part of the year I use them as much as possible! Thus, Meyer Lemon Marmalade.

The best thing about Meyer lemons is their versatility. Because of their thin skin, and slightly less acidic lemon flavor they lend themselves to both sweet and savory applications- you’ve seen me make Meyer Lemon Curd to drizzle on ice cream and stuff into pancakes, but I also love them in meat dishes, my Immunity Tea Pops, and salads!

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I briefly mentioned it above, but what makes a Meyer lemon different, and why does that make this Meyer Lemon Marmalade work the way it does? Meyer lemons are technically a hybrid of lemons and mandarins, so they are sweeter with a hint of the floral flavor that makes mandarins so tasty! They are also smaller, smoother, and rounder than a regular lemon, and those smooth skins (and zest!) are more floral and fragrant. The color of their skin varies, but usually it has a tinge of orange versus their pure-yellow counterparts. But the most important for this Meyer Lemon Marmalade is how thin their skin is.

In a regular lemon you’ll see that there is more pith (the white matrix between the lemon skin and the juicy flesh) than in a Meyer Lemon. This pith unless cooked in specific ways can be bitter and chewy- so when we are making a recipe that uses *whole* lemons, the thinner Meyer lemon will bring more sweetness than bitterness and a better mouth feel!

Meyer Lemon Marmalade Ingredients

Meyer Lemon Marmalade Method

Thoroughly wash the Meyer lemons and dry. Then to create the triangle chopped pieces I prefer, remove the blossom and stem ends of the lemon then cut in half.

‘Unroll’ the lemon, cutting between each of the triangular sections, removing the seeds and any excess membranes that you see. Then cut these triangle sections into smaller slices.

Note: I love leaving the rind on all of the slices, but if you prefer a smoother marmalade, you can peel half of the lemons and just save that excess rind for another dish (they are great candied!)

As you’re cutting and adding the Meyer lemon slices into a bowl, you’ll notice that some juice leaks out- save that! Measure the excess juice and then add water to the juice to create two cups of liquid.

Combine lemon slices, lemon juice liquid, and two cups of sugar in a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the natural pectin in the lemon rinds thickens the marmalade. A great way to test for this is to drag a spatula across the bottom of the pot and if the marmalade doesn’t immediately fill in that space it is ready to go!

If not canning, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to one month.

If you are canning use the water bath canning method and leave 1/4 inch headspace, process for ten minutes, then let stand for five before removing them from the canner. The canned marmalade will last for 12 months.

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