Marmelade Progress

[hrj]

Having had a second near-miss on scorching, I transferred the pulp to the crockpot and let it simmer for about 24 hours. It darkened slightly but no more scorching. I put the results through the blender in small batches and measured 9 cups of pulp. (Markham's recipe is clearly for a paste-like marmelade rather than a chunky one.) My original intent had been to produce a thick pulp and then simmer it further with rosewater, but it was already fairly soupy. And furthermore, when I added Markham's "to every pound of the pulp put a pound of refined sugar" (I rounded down and added 4 lb sugar) the crockpot was completely full. So, hmm. No rosewater unless I need to add more liquid at some point. So I'm simmering on low in the crockpot now, but I'll turn it off when I go to bed because I don't want to overshoot (and I need to pick up more small jelly jars). I also want to put some "in boxes" but I'm not sure what sort of food-safe boxes I can lay hands on. I suppose I could line them with plastic wrap ….

Comments

[cbpotts.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this is historically accurate at all, but I've had good luck with this stage of marmalade making by putting it all in the turkey roaster in the oven, just barely on: the lowest my oven goes is 200, but I did it less than that, so the flames would come on sporadically.

[hrj.livejournal.com]

Well, crockpots aren't exactly "historically accurate" for the 16th century. We do what we must. There are recipes that call for drying things in a slow oven that would match what you're doing, but I don't think I've seen it for jam-like recipes.

[xrian.livejournal.com]

Chinese food boxes perhaps? Suitable sized, food safe. Too tall, but that could easily be remedied.