Lemon Pips in preserves?

[Mrs. Duplay]

I recently made lemon marmalade using the pips in a cheesecloth bag while boiling for their pectin content. Can I use lemon pips in the same way in other low-pectin preserves or will this compromise the flavour?

 

[amber]

Not sure what "pips" are so I did a search. Hope it helps.

http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Preserves/lemon_marmalade______________veg.htm

 

[Michael in FtW]

PIPS is another term for the small seeds found in fruits - such as grapes, citrus fruits (such as oranges, lemons, limes) and apples.

I honestly do not know how much pectin is contained in the seeds. I believe it would be minimal compared to the pectin in the fruit and especially the skin, pith and core.

Since many jam/preserves/marmalade recipes call for the addition of some lemon juice (for the acidity) I doubt that using lemon pips would adversly affect the flavor of your preserves.

I have made orange and lemon marmalades without the pips and they turned out just fine.

I would just stick to the recipe for whatever you are trying to make.

 

[Zipfisch]

The only recipe I've ever used for marmalade that called for using the "pips" is one for Meyer Lemon Marmalade. That recipe says to soak the pips in cheesecloth overnight with the sliced lemons and water. Other recipes I've used for non-Meyer lemons didn't say to do that. I always thought that it was because maybe Meyer lemons are lower in pectin.

 

[jkath]

Do you suppose it's because meyers aren't really a true lemon? They're actually a mix of a tangarine type and lemon type. Their acidity is much lower than a regular lemon (I'm allergic to straight reg. lemons, but my meyer doesn't cause any problems) Zip, do you happen to have that recipe? And, if so, would you mind posting it in the preserves forum?

 

[Zipfisch]

I'm not sure about meyer's - whether they are lemons or not.

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

3 lb. meyer lemons
8-10 cups sugar

Slice lemons as thin as you can. Discard ends.

Remove all seeds and tie in cheesecloth.

Put lemons and seed bag in bowl. Barely cover with water.

Let sit overnight.

Discard seeds and then measure lemons and water. Put them into a non-reactive pot. Add equal volume of sugar.

Cook - first on low to dissolve sugar and then on med-hi to simmer for 1/2 hour. After a half hour check for thickness - drop some ov the mixture onto a saucer and put it in the freezer for 5 min. It should barely run. If it's too thin, keep cooking until consistency is right.

Ladle into sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath for 8 min.

 

[Sandyj]

All my family says "pips" instead of "pits", I thought it was just us.

 

[Mrs. Duplay]

Pips

I guess it is an English thing ... (not that I am English, I just enjoy the language!)