Orange Blueberry Marmalade

  As I was trying to think of new and different kinds of interesting jams and jellies, I figured a good place to start would be the recipes that I've already done. Maybe I could do a few variations and come up with something new! Awesome. So, one of my more popular jams was Sweet Orange Marmalade. Super bright and fresh, it's like sunshine in a jar. I thought, ok, how can I switch it up? Then I remembered Tyler's Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze that I posted a while back. I've made them using oranges instead of lemons, and the blueberry orange combination was absolutely DELISH! So I figured why not do that with the marmalade too? Brilliant idea, right? Apparently Bobby Flay thought so too because he had the same idea for his show, Brunch at Bobby's. (Hey, come to think of it, I don't think I've ever posted any of Bobby Flay's recipes. Well, that is until now!) Yes, this is his recipe, and he basically did just what I would've done. When making marmalade, I like to peel the orange zest with a peeler and then get rid of the white pith which makes it bitter. The result is fresh and sweet and bursting with HUGE orange flavor. And the blueberries add another layer of flavor, and a deep rich color. FABULOUS! When I made it, I preserved it in jars just because that's how I roll, but if you want to eat it right away, you can skip the canning and just store it in the fridge.
 I think I need to make another batch of scones to go with this new marmalade flavor combo! Maybe you should too! I PROMISE your friends and family will thank you for it!

8 medium oranges
4 lemons
2 cups fresh blueberries
6 cups sugar
2 pouches liquid fruit pectin


  Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest of the oranges and lemons. Cut the zest pieces into thin slices, then finely chop or grind and set aside.
Peel the remaining white part of the peel from the fruit and discard. Chop the fruit pulp, reserving any juice and set aside.
Place the zest and 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the reserved fruit pulp and juice, cover and simmer on low heat for an additional 7 minutes. Add the blueberries and simmer for 3 more minutes.
Stir the sugar into the fruit in the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil and cook exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the pectin. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam with metal spoon.

If you'd like to do the canning, prep your jars before you make the marmalade:
Bring boiling-water canner, a little more than half-full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
Ladle hot jam immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to boil. Process 10 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Tips:
Whenever I make jams or jellies, I like to add a small pat of butter to the pot. This helps to prevent it from creating too much foam on the surface of the marmalade as it boils. It's completely optional, though!
As I've said before, making the jam is easy. Preserving it in jars is the part that can seem a little daunting. (I PROMISE I'll do a how-to video about canning soon!) If you plan on eating the marmalade right away, then just keep it in a jar in the fridge. It'll keep for weeks (if it lasts that long!)