How to Make A Marmalade

Cooking down onions to make marmalade.

A marmalade is a preserve containing pieces of fruit rind, most commonly oranges and traditionally quince. However, you can use this method of cookery to make a marmalade from any fruit or vegetable because of their natural pectin. By cooking onions -- or fennel, apple, tomato, peaches, etc. -- at a low temperature with a little sweetener, it sweats and caramelizes the onion, concentrates the flavor and extracts the natural pectin to create the consistency of a jam or marmalade. Although these steps present how to make a savory marmalade, the same process can be followed with almost any fruit or vegetable.

Things You'll Need

• Onion
• Canola or vegetable oil
• Sugar
• Salt
• Large pan, 22 quart
• Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
• Spices/herbs

Instructions

1. 

   Sweeter onions like these Spanish onions or Vidalia onions work best.

   Clean and peel your onions. Cut the onion into a more manageable size, using a fine julienne cut. Set aside.

   You can use any kind of onion when making a savory marmalade. These shown are Spanish onions but the Vidalia onion has more natural sugar and caramelizes nicely.

2. Set a 22-quart pan with a large surface area on low to medium heat. Add the canola or vegetable oil and bring it up to temperature.

3. 

   Julienne cut onions in saute pan.

   Add the onions to the hot oil. Slowly fold over and over with your spatula for an extended period of time. This process helps sweat the onion to extract the natural sugars and juices.

4. Continue to fold and cook the onions until they naturally turn translucent. Add a little sugar and salt to help leach out any remaining moisture and natural sugars in the vegetable. Be careful to watch the heat and keep folding the onion to prevent burning.

5. Cook down the onion until the natural pectin helps thicken the product to create a sweet, jammy consistency.

6. Add spices or herbs for additional flavor. You can add chili flakes to the cooking onion to spice it up. Or thyme for a more rich, savory onion marmalade. If using a more delicate herb, wait until the product cools before incorporating. For example, with a tomato basil marmalade, add the herb once the marmalade base cools.

7. Serve and Enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

• You can use the same method of cookery with other fruits and vegetables. However, if the fruit contains a lot of water, like oranges or peaches, you may need to add in a cornstarch slurry or pectin (or equivalent) to help thicken your marmalade product and speed up the process.

References

• How to Make Orange Marmalade
• Food Lover's Companion