DIY Pectin from Lemons

Making your own pectin from lemons (or other citrus) is cheap, especially since you're using the parts that are normally discarded anyway.  And while it sounds a little daunting, the process is actually quite simple.

The Really Easy Method

• For medium to high pectin fruits, place lemon seeds in a jelly bag or square of cheesecloth and let them boil with the fruit to produce your jam.
• For low pectin fruits, make the following concentrate:
• Simmer 8 lemon seeds in 8 ounces of water for every 8 ounces of jam (simple ratio, right?)
• Simmer for 20 minutes or until the water is reduced to 1/4 cup.
• Remove the seeds and add the liquid into the fruit, just as for commercial pectin. 

The white pith of citrus fruits is rich in pectin.  In fact, MCP Premium Pectin (sold in the yellow boxes) is citrus-based pectin.   Underripe fruits have more pith than fully ripe fruits, and naturally, larger fruits have more than smaller.  Any citrus fruits may be used for this recipe.

Before starting on the pectin itself, the zest (the colored part of the rind) must be removed.  Lemon and orange zests can be peeled or grated and then dehydrated or frozen for use in other recipes.  The zests have no pectin and the flavors from them might affect the flavor of the jam negatively, so it really is best to set the zest aside. These fruits can also be juiced for orange juice or lemonade, so there is no waste at all.  This pectin can be a little bitter, so it is best used with very flavorful fruits.

The Easy Method
8 ounces (by weight) citrus peels (no zest), finely chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups water

Combine the chopped citrus peels with lemon juice in a medium pot.  Cover and let stand for 2 hours.  Add the water and let stand for an additional hour.

Bring to the mixture to boiling over high heat, and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let cool.

After cooling completely, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or a clean flour sack towel.

This pectin can be used immediately, stored in the refrigerator for one week, or in the freezer for six months.

Testing the strength of your pectin
Naturally, the strength of DIY pectin is going to vary from one batch to the next.  However, it is possible to get an idea of how strong your pectin is before you use it.

Put 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol in a small bowl.  Add 1 tablespoon of pectin and let stand for 60 seconds.  Now use a fork and see if you can remove any globs of pectin from the bowl.  If you cannot, put the pectin back on the stove to boil, uncovered, and reduce it by half.

I've made both cherry and strawberry jam using lemon seed pectin.  While it does take longer to cook the jam, I'm really thrilled to not need to buy the boxes anymore.  My girls love making fresh lemonade, so all I need to do is save the seeds.  They can just be dried and stored away for future use and take way less space than pectin boxes. 

Links to related posts:
All about Commercial Pectin
Making Jam Without Added Pectin

For further reading:
https://www.thekitchn.com/jam-makers-tip-save-lemon-seeds-for-homemade-pectin-194003
https://www.thespruceeats.com/homemade-citrus-pectin-1327833

 8.13.20