Author: Robert Andrews

Tips: Hotel Hacks

Bacon and eggs

Major player is aluminum foil
Create an aluminum foil boat
Put bacon in the middle, and top with another sheet of aluminum foil
Cook with an iron on high

After the bacon is removed, cook scrambled eggs in the remaining oil.

Alternate: cook a poached egg in aluminum foil that is placed in a pot of
boiling hot coffee water.

Don’t forget salt and pepper

Toast to your bagel on the burner plate of your coffee maker

For instant oatmeal, place the packet and some honey into the coffee pot.
Add water and brew for 10 minutes

Pavlova

  • pavlovaSeparate 4 eggs
  • Set aside yolks for Hollandaise sauce – another recipe
  • Using a pencil, mark a serving plate sized circle on waxed paper
  • Flip over paper, so that pencil is on the bottom
  • Whip egg whites to medium peaks

Combine

  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar or white vinegar
  • 1 C sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 TBL cornstarch
  • Continue whipping till you have stiff peaks
  • Gently fold in Juice and zest from 1 lemon
  • Spread the meringue into several piles so that it is about 1/4 inch disk inside the circle
  • Create an indentation in the center of each disk
  • Bake at 250° for 90 minutes
  • Turn off oven and allow to rest undisturbed for one hour

Give thought to your toppings
Lemon curd is a good topping
Another popular topping is whipped cream
After it has cooled, spread you’re topping, and top with blueberries or
strawberries.
1 C heavy whipping cream – some in each indentation
Put some passion fruit and raspberry in the center as well
– 1/2 C confectioner sugar

Frozen make ahead egg sandwiches

egg_muffinMix 12 eggs with 1/2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup cream
Create egg mixture with above ingredients

Grease sheet pan
Pour egg mixture onto pan
Optionally top with one can of green chilies
Bake at 425° for 12 minutes
Lay a slice of grated cheddar, Swiss or (gasp) American cheese
Bake three more minutes

Use a biscuit cutter to cut round pieces
Cut like cue balls are racked for maximum efficiency.
– Set aside leftovers for a breakfast scramble

While the eggs cook, fry up 12 patties, and toast your English muffins
Assemble your muffins, and wrap in plastic.
Freeze for up to a month.

Baked eggs

baked_eggINGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 C Salami
  • 4-6 Kalamata olives (pitted)
  • 1/2 Minced onion
  • 1/4 C Frozen spinach (squeezed)
  • 1 can diced tomato
  • 4 Eggs – broken into cups so that yolk does not break
  • Mozzarella to taste
  • Basil
  • Parm/Reg or Romano cheese to taste
  • Garlic bread

STEP BY STEP

  1. Preheat oven to 350º
  2. Dice salami
  3. Fry lightly in EVOO
  4. Toss in diced Kalamata olives
  5. Add some minced onions
  6. Optionally toss in some frozen spinach (squeezed)
  7. One can diced tomato (drained) or tomato pieces
  8. Simmer 5-10 minutes
  9. Disburse into ramekins
  10. Make a little pocket for the eggs
  11. Top with mozzarella pieces season with salt and pepper
  12. Top with basil
  13. Cook at 350° for 15 minutes
  14. Top with grated Parmesan or Romano
  15. Let set for no more than two minutes or the egg will over cook
  16. Serve with grilled garlic bread

Coffee information – A better cup of coffee

  • Try to control these four things:
    • Grind size
      • Propeller blade causes inconsistent size
      • Burr grinder will create similar sized grains
        They are expensive.  Consider using Store Grinders
    • Temperature
      • Temperature of brewing water should be 190 – 205º
    • Proportion
      • Ideally 2 TBL coffee to 6 oz of distilled water
    • Brew time
      • Brew time is 4-5 minutes – strained into a caraffe

TWO WAYS OF COOKING COFFEE

  1. Heat water to about 207-210 degrees and pour over coffee grounds in a ceramic filter.  Rinse clear water through the coffee filter before running your coffee through.  2 TBL per cup of coffee.
  2. Drip coffee – about 210-211 degrees and poured through grounds
  3. Stovetop – Comes to a simmer, so it is about 212º so let it come to the MEAREST SIMMER don’t let it come to a rolling boil
  • ROASTS
    • Light City – high caffiene
    • Full City
    • French Vanilla
    • Italian
    • Espresso – low caffiene
  • Bagged coffee should have a pressure release button on the bag
  • COFFEE PRODUCTION LOCATIONS – Descriptions by Alton Brown
    • Hawaii and Central America – Bright and Snappy
    • E Africa and Yeman – Brooding
    • Sumatra and Indonesisa – Funky

Tip 1
Place a cinnamon stick piece in the basket of your coffee maker
Optionally, a piece of star anise or an orange peel

Tip2
Place a piece of salted caramel chocolate in the bottom of your coffee cup
Fill half with coffee, and then fill with warm half-and-half
Stir

Tip 3
Create your own vanilla coffee syrup
Scrape out the inside of one vanilla bean
Place shell of vanilla bean in the pan
Add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water
Heat to about 180°

NLOF Hoisin Chicken

hoisin-chickenINGREDIENTS

  • Cooked chicken breast or shredded chicken
  • Hoisin Sauce
  • One orange

NOTE: The word hoisin is from the Chinese word for seafood, although the sauce does not contain any seafood ingredients.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Cube chicken into 1/2 inch pieces, or just make sure it is all shredded
  2. Heat in the microwave or on the stovetop
  3. Add 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  4. Add juice and zest from one orange
  5. Toss together in hot skillet or mixing bowl (if using a microwave)
  6. Plate or top with veggies
  7. If using a microwave, heat for another minute
  8. Serve over rice or udon noodles
  9. Top with toasted sesame seeds

Image from Feast on the Cheap.

– $10 Hamburger

burgerBefore we begin…

  • You will need to get 1/2 LB of ground top sirloin, skirt steak or chuck for each person – COARSELY ground.
  • Cut the meat into one inch cubes across the grain
  • Spread out and freeze it for 30 minutes before grinding
  • Don’t overpack or overwork the meat
  • If you do not have a meat grinder, pulse in your food processor briefly
  • Alternately go to the supermarket and get 80/20 hamburger or ask the butcher to grind it for you.  Be sure to specify a coarse grind though.

Ingredients to feed 4 people

2 LB hamburger
– see notes above
Melted butter to brush on top during grilling2 strips of bacon for each burger – Cut into 3 inch piecesBrioche bun or toasted sesame seed bun		 Dredge:

1 tsp each: salt, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder

1/2 tsp each:  fresh ground blck pepper, chili powder, celery salt, cumin

Step by Step

  1. Divide your meat into four servings (if there are four people)
  2. Flatten into round patties.  Do not overwork your meat or it will become tough.  If you are making “Jucy Lucy Burgers” flatten it extra big, put cheese in the center, then fold the edges over to COMPLETELY encase the cheese.
  3. Mix your dry dredge and press the burger patties into it coating the patties well
  4. Put a dimple in the center of your hamburger patty. This will keep it from rounding.
  5. Cook the bacon first at about 400º, then set aside.  Cook the burgers in the residual bacon grease
  6. Baste the top with butter each time you turn it over to keep your burger juicy.  You will cook the burgers a total of twice on each side – a total of 12 minutes – 3 minutes per flip
  7. Place on toasted sesame seed bun or brioche bun, and top with bacon and a slice of cheddar cheese or blue cheese.  Skip cheddar if added at Step Two.
  8. Toss the onion and lettuce briefly in the remaining burger juice in the pan to give it a nice flavor
  9. Serve with condiments

Oh, one more thing…

  • Carl’s Jr.’s Original Six Dollar Burger (since there are other variations now) is a hefty burger with a charbroiled Black Angus beef patty, two slices of American cheese, lettuce, two slices of tomato, red onion, pickles, mustard, mayo, and ketchup on a toasted sesame seed bun.  Grandpa thinks his is better.
  • You can make your own French fries using Grandpa’s Recipe.  Another fun option is to make medallions rather than the standard long fries.
This is a recipe that has been created or modified by Robert (Grandpa) Andrews.
CLICK HERE for a free sample copies of Grandpa's Cookbooks. © 2016, 2017, 2018.

Chorizo – Make your own

Chorizo Verde and Chorizo Rojo

The meat

Use 1 part of the fatty jowels of a pig, and about 4 parts of 80/20 blade meat.
Grind it up using a coarse grind, and then mix by hand with the following spices
The amounts below are assuming a 1 pound blade meat and 1/4 pound jowels

Chorizo Rojo

Red Pesto

  • 1/4 C Spicy Paprika
  • 2 TBL EVOO
  • 3 TBL Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 TBL Brown Sugar
  • 1 TBL Sea salt
  • 1 TBL Ancho Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Chile Negro Powder
  • 2 tsp Ground Oregano
  • 2 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Granulated Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper – ground
  • Cayenne pepper to taste – adds heat

Chorizo Verde

Green Pesto

  • 1/2 C Powdered jalapeño
  • 2 TBL EVOO
  • 1/4 C White Wine – Enough to get the consistency you desire
  • 1-1/2 TBL Sea salt
  • 2 tsp Ground oregano
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Onion powder
  • 1 tsp Green Onion – minced
  • 1 tsp Bay Laurel (Bay leaves) – ground
  • 1 tsp Garlic – ground
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper – ground
  •  

Putting it all together

After mixing, run the mixture through a sausage casing stuffer.
Create sausages the size you desire.
Hang sausages from any type of rack – even the oven rack
Cook 3-4 hours at 275º

Alternately, cook in a pan and put into a tortilla will eggs and cheese

Bobby Flay’s Take

  • I’ve made some personal modifications, so blame me, not Bobby, if this doesn’t turn out right.  This is what works for me.
  • Put into hot skillet – to taste
    • Garlic – two cloves minced and mashed with salt
    • Diced onion
    • Cumin
    • Oregano
    • Cayenne
    • Smoked Paprika
    • Salt and Pepper
      • Cook until blossomed – Add water if necessary
    • Add a bit of cider vinegar
    • Add some finely diced onion and tomato
    • Add diced jalapeno and lime juice
    • Remove from heat
    • Add cilantro
    • Add EVOO and salt and pepper
  • Add to ground pork
  • If there’s not enough fat (for texture) add 1-2 TBL butter

Cook and serve with egg in a burrito, or create a patty and serve in a sandwich.

 

Garlic Knots

knotsRecipe from Steve, owner of Grande Pizza

  • 1 Ball prepared Pizza dough
  • 2 TBL Melted butter
  • 2 TBL Rosemary
  • 1 TBL Garlic powder
  • 1 TBL Parmesan cheese

Marinara dipping sauce

  • Dried oregano to sprinkle

Ranch dipping sauce

  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 4 Minced chives
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 handful flat leaf parsley
  • 1 tsp dill
  • 1 C sour cream
  • 1/2 C Buttermilk
  • 1/2 C Mayo
  • 2 TBL White wine vinegar
  • 2 TBL Franks red hot sauce
    1. Pulse in food processor until chopped and mixed

 

To twist the knots, wrap the strip around your finger, then just tuck it through.

  1. Use any standard pizza dough and divide into 8 pieces for large knots, or 12 pieces for smaller knots
  2. Mix together chopped rosemary, 2 cloves of minced garlic and 2 TBL melted butter
  3. Toss balls in butter mixture
  4. Sprinkle garlic powder lightly onto a cutting board
  5. Roll balls into ropes about 6-8 inches in length over top of sprinkled garlic powder
  6. Tie into loose knots and toss with grated Parmesan
  7. Let rise for one hour in a warm place
  8. Bake 400º for about 20 minutes
  9. Serve on a plate with a cup of warm marinara dipping sauce or cool ranch dressing in the center
  10. Sprinkle with oregano

 

Egg Rolls

egg-rollsINGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 LB cooked ground beef
  • 1/2 LB cooked ground pork
    Alternately you can use pork tenderloin or chicken
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Red Bell Peppers (julienne strips)
  • Sweet Onions (julienne strips)
  • Celery (diced)
  • Grated ginger
  • Scallions
  • Soy sauce
  • Carrot (julienne strips)
  • 1 C finely sliced cabbage
  • Egg Roll wrappers

butter, flour, milk, provolone cheese

  1. Brown meat in a large skillet
  2. Toss above to combine
  3. Cook all till slightly wilted
  4. Place Egg Roll wrapper on a damp paper towel
  5. Spool some mixture in between wrapper points
  6. Roll wrapper tightly, securing  edges with water
  7. Place on a baking sheet
  8. When finished rolling, spray all with oil
  9. Flip and spray other side as well
  10. Bake at 375º until browned – about 12 minutes ( See note at bottom of page )
  11. Meanwhile prepare cheese dipping sauce – Heat and stir together
    • 1 TBL butter
    • 1 TBL flour
    • 1/2 C milk
    • 1/2 C provolone cheese
  12. Alternate soy dipping sauce
    • 6 TBL soy sauce
    • 2 TBL rice vinegar
    • 2 TBL creamy peanut butter
    • 2 tsp sugar
    • 2 tsp sesame oil
  13. If frying in a pan, use an oil with a high smoke point such as grapeseed, canola, peanut, safflower or sunflower oils.

Spring Rolls – COLLECTION

See also: Spring Roll Dipping Sauces

I created this base recipe during a vacation where we are currently traveling Europe and are living in Istanbul, Turkey.  You might guess that pork is difficult to come by in a Muslim country,  so I created a more vegetarian option.

Saying SPRING ROLL is kind of like saying CASSEROLE.  There are many ways to make great spring rolls.  Here are many options from which you may choose.  The only commonality is that you use Rice Paper Sheets (round) available from most grocery stores.  Soak them in cold water for about 20 seconds to soften them up before trying to roll them.

Be sure to review THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW before you start on your Spring Rolls.

Consider threading the shrimp on a skewer prior to cooking.  It will cook straight – and then stay straight.  it will fit inside your spring roll very nicely.  Cook only 3-5 minutes (depending on the size) and then plunge in ice water.

Octopus can be eaten raw or precooked.  Slice on the bias.  Slice larger, tough octopus very thinly.

 

INGREDIENTS – Use whichever you prefer

      • Cilantro
      • Mint
      • Basil
      • Shredded carrots
      • Lettuce
      • Red or Green peppers
      • Red onion – thinly cut julienne strips
      • Thinly cut Napa cabbage or Spring Greens
      • Vermicelli Noodles
      • Soy sauce
      • Shredded pork or chicken (optional)
      • Shrimp are commonly used too
      • Chives – cut to about 5 inches in length

spring-rollsSTEP BY STEP

      1. Dice, shred, chop, and toss all ingredients except chives
      2. Soften rice paper in barely warm water by soaking for about 5-10 seconds
      3. Lay rice paper on a damp paper towel – even better is to use a high-thread count linen napkin or culinary towel.
      4. Place chives so they are visible through the rice paper
      5. Spoon ingredients along rice paper
      6. Fold and roll as tightly as possible – serve with dipping sauce

You can alternatively use won ton wrappers and bake or fry your spring rolls.

Serve with ginger peanut dipping sauce.  You can also just use Hoisin sauce, which is available in most oriental grocery stores.

Dipping Sauce:

  • Peanut butter
  • Rice Wine Vinegar
  • Soy
  • Hoisin or Plum Sauce
  • Chili Sauce

 

INGREDIENTS

      • 1 LB nice thick tuna steak – very fresh
      • 8 mint leaves
      • 1/3 C Hoisin sauce
      • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
      • 2 TBL EVOO
      • 2 fresh limes
      • 1 tsp soy sauce
      • 1/2 tsp Wasabi
      • 1 fresh avocado
      • 2 C grated carrots or julienne strips
      • 1 C bean sprouts
      • 1/2 C chopped cilantro
      • 1/2 C chopped green onion / chives
      • 1/4 C slivered red onion
      • About 16 Rice paper wrappers
      • Toasted sesame seeds

STEP BY STEP

      1. Get your grill pan smoking hot… about 400º
      2. Lightly oil surface of tuna and season with salt and pepper
      3. Sear on high for 2 minutes on each side, then remove from heat
        Inside layer should still have some pink in it
      4. Remove from hot pan, and set aside on a plate
      5. Mix sauce containing Hoisin, vinegar, EVOO, limes, soy and Wasabi
      6. In separate bowl, mix together carrots, sprouts, cilantro, chives and red onion
      7. Slice avocado into thin slices and toss gently in the vinaigrette
        This will keep avocado from browning
      8. Slice your tuna into very thin strips so that you can see the cooked and raw layers
      9. Drain most of the vinaigrette from the avocado bowl into the bowl with your fish, and toss to coat
        This will keep your fish looking fresh
        Keep avocado in the emptied vinaigrette bowl for use later
      10. Heat 1 C of water into a shallow glass dish
      11. Dip a rice paper wrapper into the hot water for about 3-5 seconds
      12. Lay it down an sprinkle the paper lightly with sesame seeds
      13. Lay a thin strip of tuna so it can be seen through the rice paper
      14. Lay a thin strip of avocado so it can also be seen
      15. Position several mint leaves so that they can also be seen
      16. Lay a thin amount of your other toppings on top of the avocado, tuna and lettuce
      17. Fold in the side points
      18. Fold in one of the other points and roll to make a nice tight spring roll
      19. Refrigerate for up to six hours
      20. Serve with Peanut Dipping Sauce

spring-roll

 

 

Crab Spring Rolls

Your filling can be shredded chicken, crab, or even just vegetables. For this recipe I will be using canned crab

      1. Start with 1 can of fresh shredded crab and break apart in a mixing bowl
      2. 1 TBL mayo
      3. 1 tamarind paste cube (1 TBL) Soaked in 2 TBL boiling hot water
      4. 1 Thai chili – minced
      5. 4 mint leaves, diced
      6. 4 stalks of cilantro, diced
      7. scant salt
      8. Spread out a spring roll pastry sheet on a dampened work surface
      9. Fill with a line of filling
      10. Fold the near end (away from you) toward the middle
      11. Fold both sides into the middle
      12. Brush the far end liberally with beaten whole egg wash
      13. Roll as tightly as possible
      14. Plunge in hot canola oil (365º) for 60 seconds and let drain
      15. Serve immediately with lettuce leaves

Note: Spring Roll Pastry sheets can be purchased from any store. In a pinch, you can use won ton wrappers. Select the thinnest possible sheets.

Dipping sauce

      • 1/4 C rice
      • 1 tsp soy
      • 1 clove
      • 1 tamarind
      • 2 T sugar
      • Thai chili
      • Canola oil

 

      • 20 rice paper rounds (galettes de riz) – about 8 inches
      • 2 oz cellophane noodles
      • 1 small carrot – use peeler to create strips
      • 1 Kirby cucumber – cut into thin sticks
      • 1 small jalapeno or serrano pepper – seeds and vein removed
      • 1/4 C rice vinegar
      • 1/2 tsp sugar
      • 1 TBL fresh lime juice
      • 1 tsp fresh lime juice (set aside)
      • 4 romaine leaves torn into strips
      • 10 oz packaged baked tofu – cut into 1/4 inch sticks
      • 1 C fresh bean sprouts
      • 1/2 C each – basil, mint and cilantro (total 1.5 C)
      • 1/3 C hoisin sauce
      • 2 TBL chunky peanut butter
      • 2 TBL mirin
      1. Soak noodles in a bowl of boiling hot water for 10 minutes
      2. Blanche carrot in boiling water about 45 seconds, then rinse under cold water
      3. Put carrot, cucumber, jalapeno, vinegar, sugar, 1 TBL lime juice and salt into a bowl and toss to mix.  Let marinate 5 minutes, then drain (reserving liquid)
      4. Drain noodles and rinse under cold water, then pat dry
      5. Snip noodles with kitchen shears, then toss with 1 tsp lime juice in a large mixing bowl
      6. Fill shallow pan with very warm water
      7. In the large mixing bowl, GENTLY toss the noodles, vegetables and tofu
      8. Soak TWO rice paper rounds about 30 seconds
      9. Place on a barely damp culinary towel so that they overlap by about three inches – essentially creating a fat figure eight
      10. Near the lower end of the figure eight, place two pieces of romaine, and top with about 1/8 of the noodle mixture
      11. Roll up tightly around filling, folding in sides
      12. Make 6, 7, 8 more until all ingredients are gone.  You will probably not use all of your rice paper rounds
      13. Serve with a mixture of hoisin, peanut butter and mirin

These can be made up to four hours ahead, and then refrigerated wrapped carefully in a slightly damp towel, and then plastic wrap.

 

Carrot Soup

4 C chicken broth
2 carrots (peeled and grated)
1 stalk of celery (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 TBL butter
1 TBL sugar
1 TBL flour
1 onion (diced)
3 TBL fresh cilantro
1 tsp corriander
salt and pepper to taste
zest from 1 lemon with juice

  1. Brown onions in melted butter
  2. Add carrots, flour and sugar
  3. Add chicken broth
  4. Add garlic and cilantro
  5. Add coriander, salt and pepper
  6. Cook for 25 minutes
  7. Puree with immersion blender
  8. Add garlic and lemon
  9. Top with cream and a sprig of cilantro

Cremé Anglaise aka Vanilla Sauce

First I will mention that the liquid must be at least 160º but never exceed 185º or the eggs will solidify

Separate 4 eggs
– We will use the yolks in the recipe. You can reserve the whites for other uses
Mix egg yolks and 1/4 C granulated sugar together until the color lightens
Set aside

In a small, heavy saucepan, heat cream and vanilla until bubbles form at edges.
2 C heavy cream
1/3 cup castor (or white) sugar
1 tsp corn starch
1/2 vanilla bean (optional 1 tsp vanilla extract)
When cream is about 185º pour into your preheated double boiler – stirring almost constantly

Temper several ladles of hot liquid into the egg mixture, then slowly return to the double boiler, whisking constantly.
Continue to whisk until the sauce thickens. If a few clumps do develop, you can strain the liquid, but if the custard splits there is no remedy. You must start over.

Here is a video from Food Network about how to temper an egg mixture.

See also WikiPedia

Braised Pork Shoulder

Create seasoning mix
– 1 TBL brown sugar
– 1 TBL cumin
– 1 TBL corriander
– 1 TBL salt
– 1 tsp pepper
– 1 tsp cinnamon
– 1 tsp dry instant coffee grounds

pork-shoulderSeason every exposed inch of the pork
Roll pork shoulder into as tight a tube as possible and tie with butcher’s twine.
– We will later cut medallions from the tube
Sear all sides in heavy duty pot or Dutch oven
– Set aside for later
Add to fond in the pot
– 1 onion – cut into slivers
– 1 carrot – julienne strips
– 5 cloves garlic – minced
When onion becomes translucent add 1 C white wine and deglaze pan
Add to pot
– 1/4 C Dijon mustard
– bundle of thyme (to be removed later)
– 3 bay leaves (to be removed later)
Put meat back in on top of vegetables
Add chicken stock to cover half of the meat
Bring to a light boil then place into the oven
Bake at 300º for 2 hours
Turn meat and bake for another hour
Increase temperature to 450º
Add large carrot and onion pieces to the pot
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes
Let rest 10 minutes before cutting
– This will allow juices to reabsorb
– If it does not rest, your meat will become dry

LG – Sour Orange Marmalade

12 Jar – Overview

This recipe makes a BUNCH of marmalade.  Enough to last you through to next season.  If you just want enough jars to last you for a couple of months, CLICK HERE for the amounts used to make a smaller batch.

Marmalade is traditionally made with Seville oranges (also called sour oranges) which are FAR too sour to eat. They do, however, have a high amount of pectin in them. With the proper amount of sugar, this makes a great marmalade base to which other fruits can be added.  Prep your oranges the day before, so they can soak overnight.  Total hand-on time for this recipe is 3 – 4 hours, so make sure that you allow yourself enough time to cook safely.

PREPARATION

  • Wash 9 Seville oranges thoroughly and two lemons.
  • Peel the orange skin using a peeler.  Don’t peel too deeply, you do not want the white (pith) which tends to be bitter.  The orange peel will remain in the marmalade after cooking.
  • Cut apart, discarding any bad spots
  • Separate the innards and pith from the outermost orange peel.  Keep the innards and tie them into a cheesecloth bag.

OVERNIGHT SOAK

  • Pulse pips and guts in food processor
  • Place 2 C Pips, guts, seeds, membrane – innards into  4 C of water
  • Pulse peel in food processor – only briefly
  • Place 2 C peel into a second bowl containing 4 C of water

You should put the cut up and pulsed skin and innards into bowls covered with water overnight in the refrigerator.  This will soften them so that the pectin is more easily released.

FIRST BOIL (90 MINUTES)

  • Strain innards, pouring the soaking water into your stock pot
  • Put innards into a cheesecloth – a bouquet garni – and secure with a string, keeping the end available for easy removal.
  • Pour water and peel into your stock pot
  • Add 1 C orange juice into your stock pot
  • Bring up to boil, then reduce heat to simmer
  • Skim foam as necessary.  Stir with a WOODEN spoon.  Metal will react with the acids in the orange
  • Simmer for 90-120 minutes over low heat – this will release much of the pectin
    If the oranges have not been soaked for at least 8 hours, go ahead and simmer for 120 minutes.

The seeds contains the pectin, and will be discarded after about 90 minutes. The outer orange peel will become the meat of the marmalade. I prefer to dice half and mince half of the rind, so that you have a variety of sizes of orange rind in your marmalade.

Definition: bouquet garni – A bag (frequently in a cheesecloth) that is used for infusions, and removed later as the recipe progresses. CLICK HERE to read more.

NOTE: DO NOT ADD SUGAR YET.  If you add sugar too early, it will freeze the production of pectin, and your jam may not set properly, so don’t add it until after the 90 minute boil.

SECOND BOIL (HEAT TO 221º F – 105º C )

  • Remove pips and pith in the mesh bag at 208º. Use a tongs to squeeze the juices from the bag back into the pot. Discard the bag.
  • Increase heat and stir to dissolve. If sugar is added too soon, peel may become tough. Wait until temperature reads at least 210º
  • BRING HEAT UP TO 210º BEFORE ADDING SUGAR
  • 5 C granulated sugar
  • 1/4 C Karo Syrup
  • 2 TBL lemon juice
  • Add the Second Boil ingredients slowly, stirring continually
  • As soon as it starts boiling, stop stirring.  Stir very infrequently.
  • IMPORTANT NOTE:  Until most of the water boils away, the sugar may stay at 215º for about 20 minutes.  Once it hits 216º it will increase about one degree per five minutes.
  • Keep heating until the temperature reaches 221º This could take up to an hour. I’ve had success with 119º but only marginally.  Be patient and wait until it reaches full jell temperature.  A few minutes will make all the difference.  If possible, use a calibrated thermometer (or a scientific thermapen) to make sure your thermometer is not off by 2-3 degrees.
  • Meanwhile, sterilize canning jars. Details not included on this page.
  • When 221º is reached, remove the pot from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes.  Skim off any scum or foam.
  • Orange rind will rise to the top.  Stir the rind back into the mixture before canning.
  • Put into canning jars and cover with a lid put into hot water for at least 60 seconds.  When properly canned and cooled, this will last you for about a year.

NOTE:
Temperature will plateau at 215 for quite awhile – for as long as 20 minutes
After that, you will get 1º increase in temperature about every 5 minutes
Be patient.

MORE INFORMATION

Alternative Recipes

There are SWEET ORANGE marmalades which do not use as much sugar as this recipe. CLICK HERE for Alton Brown’s recipe for Sweet Orange Marmalade, or USE THIS LINK for Strawberry Marmalade.

A Word of Caution

A word about POT SIZE. The first time I made this I nearly boiled over. It was a constant battle between foam and the size of my pot. This will foam up about 400% of its size.  NO KIDDING.  Make sure you use a pot large enough, or you will end up with a huge dangerous mess.  This does not ALWAYS happen, but you can be prepared if it does.

I reuse my canning lids. If they fail to seal, I eat that jar first. Put an X on the failed lid so you don’t save it after the jar is empty. If they seal, they will generally not fail after cooling.  I prefer to use the small canning jars, because once exposed to light and air, the marmalade starts to lose its flavor.

The canned jars will last longer if you process them in a water bath for 10 minutes after putting into jars.

        1. Put marmalade into sterilized canning jars
        2. Soak lids about 60 seconds in boiling water
        3. Wipe rim clean and put lids on
        4. Tighten only finger tight
        5. Submerge in water (1″ over top) and process 10 minutes
        6. Cool (undisturbed) on the counter

What is shown in the photos are quantities to make two entire large batches of marmalade.

Optional Ingredients

Optional ingredients reserved for the very end:

Minced strawberries, blueberries, rhubarb, shredded carrot, or other contrast

Chemistry

If you do not use enough sugar, the liquid will be unable to reach 221º (as water only gets 212º) and it will NEVER set. Sugar can get up to 300º   If you try to decrease the calories, and use a marginal amount of sugar, you may heat it too long and you will get inverted sugar which has a longer shelf life, but is similar to high fructose corn syrup and is not as good for you as regular sugar.

Realistically, if you don’t have a thermometer, you can test the gel level but putting glass plates in the fridge, and then dripping jam onto the plate to see if it runs or just sits there.  CLICK HERE

  1. If desired, after the temperature has reached 221º you can mix in some contrast fruit such as minced strawberry – but something that is ready to eat just as it is. Don’t use anything that needs cooking or softening.
  2. Pour into canning jars. If you completely can the marmalade, it should last for up to a year. Otherwise, refrigerate it for up to six months. I personally just put them on my shelf for up to a year, but if you do this, proceed at your own risk.

If your marmalade does not set, it is still good for steamed marmalade pudding, marmalade tarts, marmalade ice cream and much more. CLICK HERE if your marmalade did not set properly.

Bottom right: Some of your oranges may be older and nubbly. You will need juice from many oranges, but the peel that you want to use is from about eight oranges that have fairly smooth skin.

Top right: To get the amount of pips and pith that you need for the larger sized recipe, you will have to juice a lot more than eight, but just throw the extras into the trash.

The ingredients freeze really well. Hot pack canning is another good option. If you freeze, be sure to leave an inch of headroom in your water bottles.

Another photo

This photo gives you a good close up of the smoother skinned oranges and the older nubbly ones. The juice from the older oranges is perfectly usable, but the skin will be a bit more bitter than the younger oranges, so get rid of them.

I prefer just a few larger dices of orange, but most of the skin that I use is minced in a food processor.

Another good way to do it is with a zester. It takes more oranges, but you can leave the white pith behind, which actually gives you a better end product.

( Previously called 903 Sour Orange Marmalade)

Gravy Recipes

Gravy is generally a 4-4-2 recipe (4 TBL flour, 4 TBL butter, 2 C milk) Use this as your base and then experiment from here. Just remember to whisk almost continually.

Grandpa’s Pan Gravy

– 2 tablespoons butter
– 2 tablespoons flour
– 1 TBL EVOO
– 1 C beef stock
– 1 tsp thyme
– 2 TBL white wine

1. Combine and brown in skillet making a roux
2. In a separate bowl, mix 1 TBL corn starch in with 1 C beef stock
3. Add beef stock to your roux and whisk together
4. Add black pepper
5. As it thickens, add 1 tsp Dijon mustard
6. Strain if necessary

For white gravy, substitute buttermilk for the beef stock

Grandpa’s Sausage Gravy

1. In a separate pan brown pieces of sausage or pork
2. Add chopped bell pepper, celery, and onion to taste
3. Add crushed garlic
4. Add your 1 C beef stock and 1 bay leaf
5. Simmer while you do the next steps

– 2 tablespoons butter
– 2 tablespoons flour
– 1 TBL EVOO

6. Combine and brown in skillet making a roux
7. In a separate bowl, mix 1 TBL corn starch in with 2 TBL water
8. Add beef stock to your roux and whisk together
9. Add black pepper
10. As it thickens, add 1 tsp Dijon mustard
11. Strain if necessary

Easy Gravy

Ingredients
3/4 CU vegetable, safflower, or sunflower oil (not olive)
1 CU flour

Instructions
1. Combine in heavy pan or skillet and whisk together
2. Heat SLOWLY over low heat.
3. Bring to a near boil.
4. Stir constantly with wooden spoon (not metal)
5. Heat until darkened – approx 20 or more minutes
6. As it thickens, add 1 tsp Dijon mustard
7. Strain if necessary

 

A recipe from FoodNetwork.com for Grandpa’s Personal Reference

 

Mushroom Gravy

Basic Turkey Gravy

Gravy

Bucket O’ Gravy

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