Margarita Marmalade

Step 1

Before you begin, prepare calcium water.To do this, combine ½ teaspoon calcium powder (in the small packet in your box of Pomona’s pectin) with ½ cup water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shake well.Extra calcium water should be stored in the refrigerator for future use.

Step 2

Wash your jars, lids, and bands. Place jars in canner, fill canner 2/3 full with water, bring canner to a rolling boil, and boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize them. (Add 1 extra minute of sterilizing time for every 1000 feet above sea level.) Reduce heat and allow jars to remain in hot canner water until ready to use. Place lids in water in a small sauce pan, heat to a low simmer, and hold until ready to use.

Step 3

Slice 2 of the limes in half and squeeze out their juice, discarding the seeds and peels. Divide the juice, reserving ¼ cup of the lime juice for later use. Then, set aside extra lime juice (if there is any) in a different container.

Step 4

Wash the oranges. Peel oranges and remaining limes, and set aside peels from 2 of the oranges, discarding all remaining peels. Remove and discard seeds, excess white pith, or fibrous parts of the membrane from the flesh of the fruit. Chop the flesh of the fruit.

Step 5

Using a paring knife, scrape off and discard the inner white part of the reserved orange peels. Slice the peels into thin strips, about 1-inch long.

Step 6

In a large saucepan, combine chopped fruit, sliced peels, 1½ cups of water, and the extra lime juice, if there is any (not including the ¼ cup reserved juice). Bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Step 7

Measure 5 cups of the cooked fruit (saving any extra for another use), and return the measured quantity to the saucepan. Add calcium water, the 1/4 cup reserved lime juice, tequila, and orange liqueur and mix well.

Step 8

In a separate bowl, combine sugar and pectin powder. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Step 9

Bring fruit mixture back to a full boil over high heat. Slowly add pectin-sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve pectin while the marmalade returns to a boil. Once it returns to a full boil, remove it from the heat.

Step 10

Can Your Marmalade: Remove jars from canner and ladle jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Remove trapped air bubbles, wipe rims with a damp cloth, put on lids and screw bands, and tighten to fingertip tight. Lower filled jars into canner, ensuring jars are not touching each other and are covered with at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Place lid on canner, return to a rolling boil, and process for 10 minutes. (Add 1 extra minute of processing time for every 1000 feet above sea level). Turn off heat and allow canner to sit untouched for 5 minutes, then remove jars and allow to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Confirm that jars have sealed, then store properly.