Double Lemon Marmelade

4 cups fresh lemon balm, leaves and stems
(about 1 3/4 oz.)
4 1//2 Cups boiling water
6-8 Large Lemons
5 1/2 cups sugar

1.Place lemon balm in large bowl. Add the boiling water. Cover, let stand for 15 minutes. Drain well, RESERVING liquid. Measure 3 1/2 cups liquid. Discard Lemon Balm.
Wash Lemons. Using a knife, peel lemons, removing yellow portion and about 1/4 inch thickness of the white membranes of peel. Cut peel into very thin strips, about 1 1/2 inches long. (I made them smaller, about 1/2 inch long). Measure 3 cups peel. Set aside.
Remove and discard any remaining white portion fo peel from lemons. Section lemons, reserving fruit and juice; discard membranes and seeds. Chop lemon. Measure 1 1/2 cups lemon and juice; set aside. In a large saucepan combine peel and 4 cups water. Heat to boiling. Boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain; discard liquid. Cook and drain once more, using fresh water.
2. In same saucepan combine drained, peel, chopped lemon and juice, and the 3 1/2 cups reserved liquid. Heat to boiling; boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Measure 5 1/2 cups mixture. Pour mixture in an 8 or 10 quart Dutch Oven. Add sugar. Heat and stir still sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Boil hard, uncovered, about 25 minutes or till mixture sheets off a metal spoon or reaches about 220 on a jelly thermometer stirring to prevent sticking (my Dutch oven was stick free).

3. Ladle marmelade into hot, sterilized, half pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims, adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water begins to boil). Remove jars from canner, cool on racks. Makes about 5 half-pints.

(The little bit I had after my initial 5 1/2 cups, I put in a jar and refrigerated it...had some this morning!! I only had two half-pints available....)

Lemon Balm grows like MINT, so be careful to keep it contained.

I love my lemon balm and am always looking for ways to work it in to things -- thanks so much for posting this!