Before and after Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節) in Taiwan, my family used to get cases of pomelo. Pomelo (柚子 or 文旦) is a citrus fruit that tastes like grapefruit, but much sweeter “normally.” I say “normally” cause the one I got from Asian supermarket was underripe. And as you know, citrus does not ripen more after being picked. They only decay and dry out! And therefore I preserve the pomelo and share it with friends and family. It is a great way to use up the leftover or underripe pomelos, or even just the skins of it.
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What is Preserve?
Preserving is a smart way to enjoy the natural flavors of fruit while keeping them for future use. Preserve is usually made of fresh or frozen fruit, sugar, and occasionally pectin. Depending on the recipe and the type of fruit used, preserves can have varying textures. Some preserves have chunky fruit pieces, while others are smoother and more uniform. The Pomelo Preserve I am showing today doesn’t contain pectin, and the texture is closer to candied fruit in syrup.
Ingredients in Pomelo Preserve
- Pomelo - I use the whole fruit, both the skin and segments. The only thing I discard is the membranes cause they are bitter and chewy.
- Sugar - The addition of sugar acts as a preservative by reducing water activity and preventing the growth of microorganisms in order to extend the shelf life of the fruit preserves.
- Star Anise - Star anise is a highly aromatic spice. Its sweet and slightly peppery taste pairs well with pomelo here.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to sterilize jars?
Start by washing the jars and lids with soap and water.
Fill a large stockpot with enough water to cover the jars. Heat the water over high heat until it comes to a rolling boil. Let the jars boil for at least 10 minutes.
Take out the jars carefully and let them air dry. The remaining heat will help them dry quickly.
Put the lids into hot water and soak for 5 minutes. Take the lids out and leave them air dry. The jars and lids are clean and ready to use now. Keep them away from any contamination.
How to make Pomelo Preserve?
Wash the pomelo thoroughly and open it by cutting the top off, scoring along the length of the pomelo from top to bottom. Be careful not to cut too deep! You only want to cut through the thick skin.
Use your fingers to gently peel the thick skin away from the pomelo, following the scores you made. Remove the entire outer skin to reveal the fruit inside.
Place the thick skin on the cutting board with the outer green side facing down. Slide the knife along the green skin, separating it from the white part of pomelo as you slide down.
Remove as much white part as you can. Thinly shred the green skin into delicate strips.
Use your fingers or a knife to separate segments, remove seeds, and peel away any remaining membrane.
Cook the green skin in cold water and bring it to a boil. Allow it to boil for 5 minutes, then discard the water. Repeat this process 2 more times until the skin is no longer bitter.
Add the prepared segments, sugar and star anise, and cook over low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to boil. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
Once the preserve reaches the setting point, remove it from the heat. Pour the hot preserve into sterilized jars, leaving about ¼ inch of headspace. Seal the jars with sterilized lids.
Equipment
Glass jars are more ideal then other material jars because glass is easy to sterilize, and they are reusable. The jars I use are 4 oz., perfect for holiday gifting.
To scrape the preserve during cooking or packaging, a silicon spatula would be really useful here.
Storage
Store the preserve in refrigerator up to 1 month or in freezer for up to 3 months. Use it as soon as possible after opening.
Recipe Tips
The amount of sugar is the weight of fruit times 0.8! This simple formula is a useful guideline for ensuring the right balance of sweetness in your recipe, regardless of the quantity of fruit segments or skin you use.
Use many small jars instead of one big jar! That way you can slowly enjoy the preserve without risking the whole jar goes bad. If one jar happens to go bad, the others remain unaffected.
Recipe FAQ
Visual Changes: The preserve will gradually thicken, darken slightly in color, and become more syrupy in texture.
Setting Point Test: Place a small amount of the hot preserve on a cold plate or saucer. Allow it to cool for a minute. Dip the mixture with your fingertip. If it forms a skin, it's reached the setting point. If it remains runny, continue cooking and retest every 5 minutes.
Yes, try it with other kind of citrus fruit. Some citrus’ skin might be more bitter, so repeat the hot water method to remove the bitterness.
Pectin is a natural thickening agent that helps the preserves achieve their desired texture. In this recipe, I prefer it more syrupy and keep the texture of pomelo.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe Card
Pomelo Preserve
Equipment
Ingredients
- 665 g granulated sugar
- 2 star anise
1 big pomelo
- 80 g green peel
- 750 g segment
Instructions
- Sterilize: Sterilize the jars and lids. (For more detailed instructions, check above.)
- Wash: wash the pomelo.
- Peel: Separate the green skin from white parts. Then thinly shred the green skin into delicate strips.
- Segment: Use your fingers or a knife to separate segments, remove seeds, and peel away any remaining membrane.
- Boil: Cook the green skin in cold water and bring it to a boil. Allow it to boil for 5 minutes, then discard the water.
- Repeat: Repeat this process 2 more times until the skin is no longer bitter.
- Add: Add the prepared segments, sugar and star anise, and cook over low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Reduce: Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to boil. Stir frequently to prevent burning. Cook until the preserve reaches the setting point.
- Package: Pour the hot preserve into sterilized jars, leaving about ¼ inch of headspace. Seal the jars with sterilized lids.
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