Marmalade making and muslin square

Linda32

Hello all,

This will be the first time I have made marmalade. I have made jam, jelly and fruit cheese before though.

I would like to know whether it is necessary to buy the muslin squares to contain the pips and pith from the oranges? Can I just put the pips into the mix?

Thank you

hakeber

i wouldn't buy any a small bit of thin cloth is fine.
bek

floyd

If you put the pips into the mix, you'll have to count them in and make sure you pick the same number out again. Fabric shops sometimes have large lengths of catering grade muslin

GetRealBabe

Hi

I got my muslin from the Asda baby section. I used it to strain the marmalade overnight. It stained a bit up washed well in the machine.:)

DawnW

to be honest, I just shove them in and fish out at the end with a holey spoon. If one gets left in, it is hardly the end of the world

Linda32

Thanks all,

Now I've been reading some more, and it appears that you need the pips all together to sqeeze out the juice, which acts as pectin to aid setting.

I've no problem with bunging them in and fishing them out at the end. Thats what I did with the plum stones for the jam.

happymum2010

Hello,

I put all the pips and the yucky bits of pith in a separate small pan with some of the juice and water mix from the main pan and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Then put through all the gooey stuff through the sieve and back it to the main pan. I then throw away the pips and bits. I don't use sugar with added pectin, just the normal granulated stuff and i have never had any probs with the marmalade setting.

Hope this helps.

squeaky

You might find something helpful in these threads...

Where Can I Get Muslin Cloths From?

What can I use instead of a muslin cloth?

Good luck

M.E.

I use a gent's hankie, held together with a plastic bag clip.

JayJay14

I use an old pillowcase for straining jelly - it is a lovely shade of purple after blackberry jelly last summer but as I'm not looking to win prizes for the clarity of my goods (just eat them ) it works fine.