[GraciesGran]

I have been given a large bag of lemons and limes.  I've made lemon and lime curd with some but the rest are going to be marmalade have also frozen juice and fruit zest for future use

Would I get away with mincing the fruit in my faithful spong mincer or is it best shredded.  We are talking 6lbs of limes and about 70 lemons.

[snowdrops]

I’ve never minced for marmalade but that is a lot to do. I’ve got some whole oranges in the freezer to buy me time, could you do that?
Otherwise I’d try a couple of batches minced & see how you like it.

[GraciesGran]

Freezers full to bursting!  Will try a small batch and see how it goes.  Notwithstanding the fact that the fruit was free I don't want it to go to waste.

[DanielCoffey]

I slice but only make a few dozen jars each year. Citrus goes a long way in Marmalade so you will get a lot!

I juice, scrape, slice and soak. Remember to add a chopped lemon to the "bits" bag for every four or five oranges to help with the set.

There seem to be two cooking methods for Marmalade and both have strong opinions on their merits. One is to add "just enough" liquid and only cook for a short while. The other adds a measured excess of water and reduces to a certain proportion to "cook and soften" the peel.

[GraciesGran]

Made small amount of both lemon and lime marmalade with minced fruit.  It's ok, but not quite right so I'll back to shredding.  An experiment not to be repeated.

[snowdrops]

Good try. You could do shredless I suppose & then make candied peel.

[Agatha]

It's all down to texture - you can make marmalade using a mincer, but I dislike the texture, so I always chop mine.

[GraciesGran]

It's all down to texture - you can make marmalade using a mincer, but I dislike the texture, so I always chop mine.

The flavour was good but it was the texture  that wasn't right.  Grandson, with hollow legs, has rehomed the minced version leaving me free to start again.

[New shoot]

If you have too much marmalade this is a good recipe.  It is so simple to make and lovely with curry, rice dishes or just plain grilled fish or meat.  It is nothing like the usual preserved lemons and can be eaten as is or used as an ingredient e.g. couscous

Pickled lemons

4 lemons
3 tbsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
300ml/10 floz cider vinegar

Wash the lemons and leave to dry.  Cut into chunks over a plate to catch the juice and remove the pips.  Pack into a sterilised jar.
Mix the salt, turmeric and chilli powder into a bit of vinegar and pour over.  Add any juice you have collected.
Top up with vinegar to fill the jar, seal and shake it.
Leave in a warm place for 4 weeks and shake the jar now and then.  This softens the skins and makes them edible.
Move to a cool, dark place to store and keep for 3 months before opening.

[GraciesGran]

New shoot, thank you.   Will give this a try.

[Agatha]

It's all down to texture - you can make marmalade using a mincer, but I dislike the texture, so I always chop mine.

The flavour was good but it was the texture  that wasn't right.  Grandson, with hollow legs, has rehomed the minced version leaving me free to start again.

Glad you've found a good home for it!  My father always used to make a huge batch of minced marmalade every year, as well as finely cut and coarse cut & bitter, but I only really like the last of the three options - I still make my marmalade every year using his preserving pan and his recipe!