“Why do you have to make an ‘Old Fashioned out of everything!?”- said my wife when I pitched her this recipe for Old Fashioned Orange Marmalade. Maybe it’s my need for smushing two perfectly good recipes together just to see what happens. Maybe it’s my need to sneak bourbon into as many breakfast items as possible while still being socially acceptable.
But do this we must!
And let me tell you, it was great!
The best Orange Marmalade
In the world of store bought orange flavored jams, you have two types:
- Sweet Orange Marmalade: made with Navel oranges from California. They taste sweet and fresh nothing wrong with that. Often include a sliced lemon for the pectin.
- Bitter Orange Marmalade: made with Seville oranges from Spain. These are naturally sour and give a complex flavor with a long finish. You taste that marmalade for the next hour usually.
The best orange marmalade takes the best from both worlds. Made with sweet oranges, we introduce complexity in several layers:
- Grapefruit: for the pectin and slight undertone of bitterness.
- Bourbon: gives a caramel, oaky smell that you can taste in every bite.
- Angostura Bitters: a secondary level of bitter flavor, but makes the whole marmalade much more complex.
This isnt your grandmas marmalade. This baby can just as easily go on chicken, cornbread, or breakfast toast.
Orange Marmalade Ingredients:
So why make Orange Marmalade the old fashioned way? As an homage to tradition, and because multiple textures mean multiple flavors. When you eat this kind of jam, you can see the candied orange pieces, the pith is gone, and the little translucent strings of rind give you more orang-y flavor.
We start with the basics:
- 4 oranges
- 1 grapefruit
- 4 cups of sugar
- 4 cups of water
- 100g of Bourbon
- 4 dashes of Angostura Bitters
How do you make homemade Orange Marmalade?
Time needed: 2 hours and 10 minutes.
- Cut oranges and Grapefruit
slice them roughly into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Removing the seeds that you find.
- Add Sugar
4 cups of sugar.
- Add water
4 cups of water. Put a plate in the freezer to test consitency.
- Simmer
Simmer for 2 hours on medium heat. Stir occasionally to make sure no burnt pieces are sticking to the bottom. 1:45 minutes into the cook time, check the consistency and stir again. Sometimes it may be ready then.
- Test for setting.
Take out the plate from the freezer and put a dollop of the marmalade. In a few seconds it should gel and set.
- Add bourbon and Angostura Bitters
Add 100g of bourbon, roughly 1/2 cup and 4-5 dashes of angostura bitters. Stir and simmer again for 1 minute to cook out some of the alcohol.
- Let chill
Turn off the heat and place in containers to store. Leave uncovered until it gets to room temperature.
How can you tell if Orange Marmalade is ready?
After an hour and a half, watch it more frequently. You should see the orange pieces translucent, and if you want confirmation- take out a piece and taste it. Have a plate ready in the freezer, spoon a dollop of jam on the cold plate and in a few seconds the pectin should set the marmalade.
Ways to use Orange Marmalade:
This all depends on your imagination. I like to have it with parmesan on toast with a little arugula. The marmalade is punchy enough to stand up to the cheese and doesnt need much else to make it amazing. I also love serving these mini open faced sandwiches to my guests.
Or just double up the bread, add some cold cuts, and go to town! This marmalade plays with the big boys, and this is a great lunch idea.
For the Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
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Equipment we used
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OXO Good Grips Medium Silicone Spatula
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“Old Fashioned” Orange Marmalade
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2:10 min
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This “Old Fashioned” Orange Marmalade recipe is what happens when you cross orange jam with bourbon and Angostura bitters! It’s a grown-up jam that you can put with meats, cold cuts, and desserts.
Ingredients
- 4 oranges
- 1 grapefruit
- 4 cups of sugar
- 4 cups of water
- 100g of Bourbon
- 4 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Instructions
- Cut oranges and Grapefruit
- slice them roughly into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Removing the seeds that you find.
- Add 4 cups of sugar to the pot
- Add 4 cups of water. Put a plate in the freezer to test consitency.
- Simmer for 2 hours on medium heat. Stir occasionally to make sure no burnt pieces are sticking to the bottom. 1:45 minutes into the cooking time, check the consistency and stir again. Sometimes it may be ready earlier than 2 hours.
- Take out the plate from the freezer and put a dollop of the marmalade. In a few seconds, it should gel and set.
- Add bourbon and Angostura Bitters
- Add 100g of bourbon, roughly 1/2 cup, and 4-5 dashes of angostura bitters. Stir and simmer again for 1 minute to cook out some of the alcohol.
- Let chill to room temperature
- Turn off the heat and place it in containers to store. Leave uncovered until it gets to room temperature.
Notes
If you want a sweeter, more straightforward marmalade, replace the grapefruit with a lemon.
- Category: Marmalade
- Method: Preserves
- Cuisine: American, Brittish, Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tbsp
- Calories: 49
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 0
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 13
- Fiber: .1
- Protein: .1
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: Orange Marmalade, Old Fashioned
A little about me
I’m a chef and a former psychologist. I spent years studying how we experience food to make the best eating experiences possible- and I show you how to eat well on this site. I host secret popups in Miami, FL teaching people how to approach good food that’s never been done before.
Did you make a recipe? Tag @CasaLagoTastingRoom on Instagram! I wanna see it!
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