Marmalade is an exceptional canning project, as almost nothing goes to waste.
You even get to keep the peel!
Grapefruit makes a marmalade with a tart and crisp flavor that works really well as a glaze for meat.
Canning grapefruit marmalade takes just a few hours, and you won’t need many ingredients to get started.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making & Canning Grapefruit Marmalade
This recipe works best with two chefs in the kitchen working in tandem. Several of the steps overlap, so an extra set of hands is really helpful.
Equipment Needed
- Vegetable peeler
- Sharp knife
- Large stainless steel saucepan
- Large bowl
- 5 half-pint jars with lids and rings (for a whole batch)
- Water bath canner
- Jar lifter
- Lid lifter
- Canning funnel
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 3 large grapefruit
- 1 large lemon
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons powdered pectin
- 4 cups sugar
Prep Time
2 hours
Cook Time
31 minutes
Canning Time
10 minutes
Step 1: Choose Your Produce
Red grapefruit makes for the sweetest marmalade.
Look for fruit that’s ripe enough to feel slightly soft when you squeeze it.
Avoid any fruit that feels really light, as it probably has too much peel and not enough fruit to make marmalade properly.
This recipe also calls for one lemon. You’ll need a traditional lemon (not something like a Meyer lemon) to get the flavor profile just right.

Step 2: Wash Your Fruit Carefully
Since we’re using the peel in this recipe, we must clean all of our fruit very carefully.
I like to rinse my produce under warm water and then use my fingers to brush away any debris.
Some canners use a vegetable brush to clean fruit, but I think this is a little dangerous. Brushes can scratch and scrape the peel and make it mushy inside the marmalade.
Step 3: Peel Your Fruit
Grapefruit peels really quickly, especially when it’s very ripe. Using your vegetable peeler, remove the peel from your grapefruit in long strips.
Use gentle pressure for this step. You want to get the colorful outer edge of the peel while leaving the white pith behind (as it’s bitter).
Once you’ve perfected your peeling technique with the grapefruit, do the same with your lemon.
Step 4: Chop and Soften Your Rind
It’s time for a decision!
At this step, you’ll chop up the peel that will go directly into your marmalade.

If you’re planning to use your final product for something like a meat marinade, you may want longer strips you can pick off before serving the dish.
If you’re hoping to spread this on bread, chop the peel into very small bits.
Combine your peel with 1/8 teaspoon baking soda and 2 ½ cups of water in a stainless steel pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
Lower the heat, cover the pan, and allow this to simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Step 5: Prepare Your Jars and Lids
While your peel softens, turn to your jars. You’ll need 5 half pint jars for a full batch of this tasty marmalade.
Wash your jars in hot water and soap, and set aside any jars that are cracked or chipped.
Jars like this could be used for things like storing spices, but they may not survive a trip through the canner intact.
Place your approved jars in the canner and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil, and put the lid on the canner.
Let these jars simmer and sterilize while you work on your marmalade.
Place your lids in a saucepan with water. Turn the heat on low and allow the lids to simmer.
The adhesive will soften, increasing the chances your jars will seal in the canner.
Step 6: Remove the Pith and Membranes
We want the meat and juice from the fruit in the marmalade. However, the skins that separate the sections and the pith that surrounds them must be removed.
These bits are bitter and can ruin the flavor of your final product.
Hold your fruit flat-side down and cut off the pith with your sharp knife. Then, separate the fruit into sections.
Working over a bowl to capture the juice, slice into the membrane with your knife and remove the meat. Discard the membrane and any seeds you find. Coarsely chop the meat you collect.
When you’re done, you should have 2 ¼ cups of fruit and juice ready to go. Measure carefully, as too much liquid will mean a too-runny marmalade.
This step can be time-consuming. If you have a helper, ask this person to work on this step while you work on preparing the peels and your jars.

Step 7: Cook Your Marmalade
Add your fruit and juices to the cooked rind mixture. Bring this to a boil.
Once your marmalade is boiling, reduce the heat. Allow this liquid to simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir this regularly.
If you don’t stir enough, the marmalade can stick to the bottom of the pan and tinge your sauce with a burned flavor.
Step 8: Add Pectin
Pectin helps your marmalade to firm up and gel. For this recipe, you’ll need powdered pectin.
Stir in 6 tablespoons all at once and bring the fluid to a rolling boil over high heat.
A rolling boil means the marmalade is bubbling and cracking.
No matter how much you stir, you can’t stop the bubbles from forming.

Step 9: Add Sugar
Stir in all 4 cups of sugar at once while stirring. Keep the burner on high, and keep stirring.
The sugar should melt quickly, and the marmalade should be relatively clear. Bring the mixture back to a rolling boil that you can’t stir down.
Boil your marmalade hard for 1 minute while stirring the entire time. Scoop up the mixture from the bottom of the pan as often as you can so nothing sticks and burns.
Take the pan off the heat.
Step 10: Fill Your Jars
With your jar lifter, remove your prepared jars from the canner. With your canning funnel, fill the jars with hot marmalade.
Leave at least ¼ inch of space at the top of each jar to allow the liquid to expand in the canner.
This marmalade is very thick and dense, but it should flow nicely into the jars in one big stream.
You shouldn’t see any trapped air bubbles on the side of the jars. If you do, run a knife around the inside of the jars to release the air.

Step 11: Apply Lids and Rings
Marmalade is sticky stuff. Sugar on the rim of the jar could keep your lids from adhering properly (which means your jars won’t be shelf-stable).
Run a damp paper towel around the edge of each jar to remove any debris.
With your lid lifter, remove the lids from the saucepan. Place one on each jar and affix it with a ring.
Tighten the ring enough to keep it in place, but not so tight that air can’t escape during canning.
Step 12: Process Your Jars

With your jar lifter, place your prepared jars in the water canner. Ensure that the tops of your jars are completely covered with water.
Bring the water to a boil and cover the canner. Process your jars for 10 minutes. Adjust for your elevation as needed.
Step 13: Rest Your Jars
When your processing is complete, turn off the burner and take the lid off the canner. Leave the jars right where they are for 5 minutes. The contents inside the jars will stabilize.
With your jar lifter, remove your jars from the water bath. Keep them upright while you move them, and place them on a cutting board to rest.
Leave your jars for 24 hours. Don’t poke or press on the lids during this period. As the marmalade cools and shrinks, the lids will seal tightly to the top of your jars.
Step 14: Test Your Lids
After 24 hours, remove the rings from every jar. The lids should be slightly depressed and sealed very tightly to the top of the jars.
If any lids pop when you press on them or slide off when you test them, they didn’t seal properly.
Put these in the freezer for deep storage, or pop them in the refrigerator to eat within the next few days.
Write the date on the lid of all sealed jars and transfer them to your long-term storage.

How Long Does Grapefruit Marmalade Last?
The USDA says foods canned at home should be eaten within a year. If you’ve canned properly and stored your jars in a cool and dark space, they should remain stable during this period.
This recipe yields only a few jars, so it’s really easy to eat an entire batch within a year. I never have move than I can eat.
Ideas for Using Canned Grapefruit Marmalade
These are a few of my favorite ways to eat grapefruit marmalade:
- Spread on toast for a tangy morning treat.
- Cut the milky flavor of yogurt with a swirl of marmalade.
- Mix marmalade with wine vinegar for a tasty meat marinade.
- Bake chicken in a coat of marmalade.
- Dress up rice with butter and marmalade.
- Create a salad dressing out of marmalade thinned with olive oil.
- Bake squash in a bath of marmalade.
- Add to your favorite muffin recipe.
- Spice up smoothies with marmalade.

Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 large grapefruit
- 1 large lemon
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons powdered pectin
- 4 cups sugar
Instructions
Choose Your Produce
- For the sweetest marmalade, go with red grapefruit. Pick fruit that feels slightly soft when squeezed (this indicates ripeness). Avoid fruit that feels light, as it may have too much peel and not enough juice. You’ll also need one traditional lemon (not Meyer lemon) for balance.
Wash Your Fruit Carefully
- Since the peel is part of this recipe, rinse the grapefruit and lemon thoroughly under warm water, using your fingers to remove any debris. Avoid using a vegetable brush, as it may scratch the peel and ruin the texture.
Peel Your Fruit
- Using a vegetable peeler, remove the grapefruit peel in long strips, avoiding the bitter white pith. Once you’ve mastered peeling the grapefruit, peel the lemon in the same way.
Chop and Soften Your Rind
- Now it’s time to chop your peel! If you’re using this marmalade for spreading, finely chop the peel into small pieces. If you’re using it as a glaze or marinade, you may want longer strips that can be removed later.
- Combine the chopped peel with 1/8 teaspoon baking soda and 2 ½ cups water in a large stainless steel pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Prepare Your Jars and Lids
- While the rind simmers, sterilize your jars. Wash them in hot soapy water and inspect for cracks or chips. Any damaged jars should be set aside for non-canning purposes. Place the jars in the canner and cover with water, bringing it to a boil. Meanwhile, place the lids in a saucepan of water and simmer on low to soften the adhesive.
Remove the Pith and Membranes
- Cut the pith off the fruit with a sharp knife, then slice the grapefruit and lemon into sections. Over a bowl, slice through the membranes to release the juice and fruit. Discard the membranes and any seeds, then coarsely chop the fruit. Measure carefully to ensure you have exactly 2 ¼ cups of fruit and juice, as excess liquid can result in runny marmalade.
Cook Your Marmalade
- Add the prepared fruit and juice to the simmering rind mixture. Bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent burning.
Add Pectin
- Stir in 6 tablespoons of powdered pectin all at once, then bring the mixture back to a rolling boil over high heat. A rolling boil means the marmalade will bubble vigorously and can’t be stirred down.
Add Sugar
- Add all 4 cups of sugar at once, stirring constantly. Keep the heat high and the sugar should melt quickly. The marmalade should remain relatively clear. Bring it back to a rolling boil that can’t be stirred down, and let it boil hard for 1 minute while stirring continuously to avoid burning.
Fill Your Jars
- Using a jar lifter, remove the sterilized jars from the canner. With a canning funnel, fill the jars with hot marmalade, leaving about ¼ inch of space at the top. Marmalade is thick but should pour smoothly. If you notice any air bubbles, run a knife around the inside of the jar to release them.
Apply Lids and Rings
- Wipe the rims of each jar with a damp paper towel to remove any sticky residue. Using the lid lifter, place a lid on each jar and screw on a ring. Tighten the ring just enough to hold the lid in place—don’t over-tighten, as air needs to escape during canning.
Process Your Jars
- Using the jar lifter, carefully place the filled jars in the water bath canner. Ensure the tops of the jars are covered with at least 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a boil and process the jars for 10 minutes. Be sure to adjust the time for your elevation if needed.
Rest Your Jars
- When processing is complete, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes to stabilize. After that, carefully remove the jars using the jar lifter and place them upright on a cutting board or towel to cool.
Test Your Lids
- Leave the jars undisturbed for 24 hours. Afterward, check the seals by pressing on the center of each lid. If it’s depressed and doesn’t pop back, it’s sealed properly. If any lids aren’t sealed, refrigerate the jars and eat them within the next few days or freeze them.
Notes
- Fruit Selection: Red grapefruit is best for marmalade, but you can mix in other citrus if desired. Be sure to use traditional lemons for a balanced flavor.
- Pectin: Powdered pectin is key for helping the marmalade firm up. Ensure you use the specified amount to get the right consistency.
- Jar Preparation: Always sterilize jars before canning and ensure lids are heated to ensure a good seal.
- Storage: Marmalade can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Label each jar with the date of canning for easy reference.
