Seville oranges for marmalade - how important is freshness?
We're currently (in January) in the brief season for seville oranges which means it's marmalade making time.
I acquired some sevilles as soon as they appeared in the shops here a week ago. However things have suddenly gone crazy at work and I'm not going to have time to have a marmalade making session now for a week or two.
How well will my sevilles last if I wait that time before making my marmalade?
Are greengrocers and supermarkets getting sevilles in pretty much daily? In which case I think I'll just go out again and buy more when I have a bit more time (so long as I do it before the season closes). Or does Spain just dump one giant load of the fruit on us at the beginning of the season?
I guess it's this latter part of the question which is most intriguing (since I know I can always freeze the sevilles I already have) since seville oranges are one of those very few products which are still truly seasonal. How does the supply chain work, and why are they so seasonal when so many other kinds of produce are nowadays available nearly all the year round?
Finally, what are the rough start and end dates for the seville orange season in the UK? I feel like it's the middle two weeks in January, but I haven't really checked up on that.
Best Answer
I'm presuming that your'e British because (a) You want to make marmalade (b) your nickname is 'tea drinker'. am i right?
Anyway, those bitter oranges are grown not only in Spain but in other parts of the Mediterranean as well, but their season i relatively short - so if i were you i would keep my eyes open for nice ripe ones and buy them - you can keep them cooled for at least a month in your fridge if they are in good condition in the time of their purchase.
Tip #1: try to buy oranges that weren't waxed.
Tip #2: if you can get Satsuma Citruses, they will do a good job as replacements. The result might be a little more sour though.
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How long will Seville oranges keep?
Like most citrus fruit, they will keep up to one week when stored at room temperature but a lot longer when kept in the fridge. You can also freeze them whole or peeled (wrapped in cling film or similar) which is great for these particular oranges as they have such a short season.Can I freeze Seville oranges to make marmalade later?
Walter Scott: By all means freeze Seville oranges to make marmalade later in the year. But make sure they're not overripe - if you freeze overripe ones you'll get black oranges when you cook them. Cook up your own delicious batch with Good Food's recipe for Seville marmalade. Then use it in these delicious recipes.Why do Seville oranges produce a better set and higher yield when making marmalade?
Pectin is a jelling agent found in produce; consequently, Sevilles are praised as the best and most frequently used variety of orange employed when making marmalade. This higher pectin level allows Seville orange marmalade to set better and have a higher yield than marmalade made from common oranges.Do you have to use Seville oranges to make marmalade?
Oranges: This recipe is made with regular seedless oranges. You can definitely substitute Seville oranges if you can find them. They are only in season from the end of January to mid-February, but they have an intense flavor that is ideal for marmalade. Yield: This recipe makes about 3 quarts (96 ounces) of marmalade.Seville Orange Marmalade | Pam 'the Jam' Corbin
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Нурлан, Smooth Click, Eduardo Soares, Trang Doan