One of the best ways to extend the season for your favorite fruits — especially citrus — is to make them into marmalade!

While many specialty and heirloom fruit varieties are only available for a few weeks, a good preserve will keep for up to a year. Produce Merchant and seasonal fruit enthusiast Mary shares her tried and true marmalade recipe below.

What You'll Need:
5 lbs of just ripe citrus
6 cups water
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp butter
1 packet of pectin, as needed
Honey or sugar, to taste


What To Do:
Wash the citrus and gently peel. Slice the peels into small (1 inch) strips and boil in 4 cups of water for 10 minutes. Drain and add 2 cups of cool water.

Puree the citrus flesh and lemon juice together, and add to the peels. Bring to a full boil and add the butter.

Reduce to a simmer and continue mixing, slowly adding pectin. Mixture should begin to thicken over the next 10-20 minutes. Add sugar or honey, if desired. The marmalade should reach 220 degrees and a sturdy thickness. While hot, ladle into sterilized jars. This marmalade will keep in the fridge for at least 2 weeks.