Unfortunately we don't have a citrus season here in Arkansas so we are stuck with store-bought fruits to work with and most of what we do is freezing. Plus some mixed marmalades. We don't care for canned citrus sections at all, even mixed ones which is what NCHFP recommends.

But there was a really good discussion on using them from last year you might want to read through. I linked it below.

And this discussion has some really good marmalade recipes in it too.

Enjoy all your citrus. ;)

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Citrus time of year

No locally grown citrus here in Massachusetts, but I do order boxes of fresh citrus from Florida in the winter months. Most go for fresh eating. But I do preserve some.

Last year I made an orange-grapefruit marmalade which was a huge hit - was gone by April. I'll make a double or triple batch this year.

I preserved clementine slices in lite syrup - NOT a hit - still have jars from last January. Will not do again.

Honey Crimson Grapefruit - grapefruit sections canned in cranberry juice concentrate with honey - huge hit - will be doing lots of that this year. I'll shoot for 20-25 pints.

I also made clementine dust and meyer lemon dust. Will do both again.

This year I canned clementine puree - boiled my clementines whole for a couple hours, then pureed them in my food processor. I use it in quick breads - kinda how people use applesauce in baking.

This year I want to try orange jelly - squeeze my juice oranges and make a jelly with it.

girlbug2, I have a ridiculous amount of citrus! this year we hope to get less since we pruned heavily after harvest.

We did so much mixed citrus marmalade that we still have a lot of it. We like it and use it, gift it and some are fans. We have enough left to carry us over into 2012.

This year I will preserve more of my Eureka and Meyers lemons by freezing the juice in ice cube trays. I will also freeze the zest, or zest and use before juicing.

We plan to eat a lot more of it fresh, and drink as fresh juice. The excess will be frozen and consumed after the minneolas and juice oranges are picked (after april-may). I have a bunch of quart mason jars reserved for that purpose. Making space in the freezer is another issue.

In this forum I read some good ideas like dehydrated lemons slices (that are pulverized with a spice grinder). Sounds like a nice seasoning ingredient, I will try that.

We have several baby trees, and mature trees. Among the large producers are two very large minneolas (best use is juice and/or marmalade), one medium navel orange (no problem using this, we eat them fresh), a large juice orange, large grapefruit, large meyers and large Eureka lemons. Growing Bearrs lime (no problem using), dwarf kaffir lime and hopeful key lime. Dancey tangerine, which we eat fresh and never have enough. I will not go into the babies.

Pixie Lou,

Your Honey Crimson Grapefruit sounds heavenly. Did you dilute the cranberry juice concentrate, and how much honey did you add? Did you section the grapefruit or supreme it?

Let me know where to to find the recipe.

Sharon (planting our first second and third grapefruit trees this year)

Sharon - It's a recipe from the Ball Complete Book.

I supremed the grapefruit, then squeezed the juice out of the remaining pith/membranes.

Combine the segments and juice with 1 can of cranberry concentrate and a big squeeze of honey. (The recipe calls for 2/3 cups of honey, but I thought that was way too much - I probably used about 1/4 - 1/3 cup.) (No other liquid than the squeezed grapefruit juice). Bring to a boil - make sure honey dissolves.

I found that 1 can of concentrate is enough for about 6 pints. I did a BWB for 10 minutes.

The segments don't hold up real well in the canning process. But it was so yummy!

Sharon - one thing I forgot to mention - when you buy the cranberry juice concentrate - make sure it is cranberry juice. They have some cranberry cocktails in the frozen aisle - and they are a mixture of apple and/or white grape juice with artificial coloring and flavoring.

> No "citrus season" in NC. Envy, envy, envy.

I do so wish that we could trade, but, from the past - other posts - the interstate transport rules won't let us. Bummer. Although canned products (like any marmalade!!) can be transported no prob. Hint, hint. LOL

Nancy

Does anyone have a citrus and persimmon recipe? Maybe Tangerine/Persimmon? I got a box of Fuyus softening as we type...

Carla in Sac

Pixie lou -- what are clementine dust and lemon dust and how do I make them? Sounds intriguing!

There is a big discussion about it on the Meyer Lemon thread.

Here is a link that might be useful: Meyer Lemon Thread

Just got about 20 lbs free grapefruit, more where that came from! If I don't juice it all, may have to try canning with honey, yum!