1. Use a zester or a vegetable peel to remove the colorful skins of the citrus fruit. These are aromatic and flavorful, so you may want to save them for another use. But they don’t bring any pectin to the party and could overwhelm the other flavors in your recipe.

2. Peel or cut off the remaining white layer of the fruits. Remove and set aside any seeds. Save the pulp for another use. Finely chop the white parts and weigh them; you’ll need 8 ounces.

3. Put the chopped citrus peel pith, seeds, and the lemon juice in a nonreactive, medium-sized pot. Cover and leave at room temperature for 2 hours. Add the water and leave at room temperature for 1 more hour.

4. Bring the ingredients to a boil, uncovered, over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

5. Strain through a jelly bag or through a colander lined with several layers of cheesecloth. Return the liquid to a pot over high heat and boil until it reduces by half.

6. Store any homemade citrus pectin that you will not be using right away in the freezer, or can it in half-pint jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjust the canning time if you live at a high altitude).

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Reprinted with permission from Preserving Everything by Leda Meredith and published by The Countryman Press, 2014. Buy this book from our store: Preserving Everything.