Rhubarb Marmalade

Hello, I am @Iammudrock, co-worker on the Vegetablism Plot, digger and cracker of the whip. (When I haven't got a bad back)

Fear my vest.

 Last year we were given the moniker of 'The Rhubarb Boys'. Our plants flourished where as the allotment neighbours didn't. This year I reckon we can up that to 'The Kings of Rhubarb'.

Rhubarb, yesterday.

So what are we to do with all this rhubarb? It's supposed to be summer and there are only so many crumbles you can eat, even if Mrs M's crumble served warm with vanilla ice cream is a real treat, and the upside down rhubarb cake served with double cream is divine.
We picked 10kg at the weekend and there's still loads left.  I gave away some to the next door neighbours and  to our friends that came round to see the tennis, took the rest to work and there was enough for anyone that wanted some, even people I don't know.

Make some marmalade. A tasty breakfast treat.

I have never made preserves before, the result was quite impressive. Well I like it and if others are being honest and not just being nice, it was pretty good for a first attempt.

Here's what I did

1.5kg of fresh rhubarb
3 big oranges
2.5kg of sugar
Zest of 1 lemon

A big pan to cook it all in
Some jars

Cut the rhubarb into 1" pieces, juice the oranges and cut the peel into small marmalade size bits, you can do this in a food processor but the oranges broke the blender, it was a shit blender anyway, probably a 1970s hand-me-down from one of our parents. So I cut them up by hand into what I think is termed as 'thick shred', nice and chunky.
Stick it all in a pan and add the sugar and lemon zest.
Bring to the boil.
Simmer for about 2 or 3 hours until the marmalade runs off the spoon, don't let it go too sticky in the pan, it will set in the jars.
A little trick here is to have 2 plates in the fridge, when you think it's ready spoon a little blob on a cold plate, after a few seconds touch it with your finger, if it wrinkles, it's ready. If not put the plate back in the fridge and use the other one next time.
Make the jars hot by soaking them in hot water, this stops them cracking when you add the hot marmalade mixture. When it's ready pour into the hot jars and put the lids on.

It makes about this much