Preserved Lemons
PREP: Preserved Lemons
Why? Because who doesn't love salt and lemons? They're great to have on hand for Moroccan in a pinch, and I've even known some to use them to make salad dressing out of it.
Okay, straight to it.
What You'll Need
Glass hinged jars or mason jars with non-rusty lids (salt and rust is a no)
Lemons (Meyers preferred)
Sea salt (white over pink but pink is fine)
Whole black peppercorn
Large stock pot
For The Daring (TLDR)
Sanitize jars and lids (if you don't know how, scroll down)
Cut the lemons twice vertically while keeping them whole
Salt inside each lemon and add 3-4 palmfuls to the jar
Smush as many in as you can and cover the rest with fresh lemon juice
Add in a small handful of peppercorn
Turn a few times to distribute the salt and leave on counter for a day or two, turning every few hours.
Refrigerate for 3 weeks (2 minimum)
Add new lemons in as you get close to running out
More Detailed Instructions
Sanitize
Boil your jars and lids for 10 minutes minimum. If it's too noisy, turn the heat down to a simmer. Remove and dry with clean towels.
Lemons + Salt
Scrub and dry lemons. Cut each lemon twice vertically while keeping them whole (so basically cut a cross down the middle). Salt the inside of each lemon and squeeze them into the jars. You want to release a lot of juice but you're not juicing them so just give each a good squeeze before placing into the jars. Smush as many in as you can, add 3-4 palmfuls of salt and then a handful of peppercorn. Larger jars, more salt and peppercorn, small jars use less. You get the idea. Cover the rest with fresh lemon juice (do not use the stuff in the plastic lemons).
Turn + Wait
Close the lids and turn a few times to distribute the salt, and then leave on the counter for a day or two, turning every few hours. Sitting at room temperature helps the lemons mellow out faster and gets the process going. You can stick directly into the refrigerator but you'd have to turn it more often for longer, so it's up to you. Place in the refrigerator for 3 weeks (2 minimum).
KEEP THE LIQUID
Once you're near the end of your jar, just cut and salt more lemons to smush into the jars. Just make sure there's enough juice to cover, and add a handful of salt to replenish the salinity, and wait another 3 weeks. I always have two jars of preserved lemons on hand so I just switch off.
Enjoy.
Preserved Lemons
Ingredients
Instructions
- Sanitize jars and lids (if you don't know how, scroll down)
- Cut the lemons twice vertically while keeping them whole
- Salt inside each lemon and add 3-4 palmfuls to the jar
- Smush as many in as you can and cover the rest with fresh lemon juice
- Add in a small handful of peppercorn
- Turn a few times to distribute the salt and leave on counter for a day or two, turning every few hours.
- Refrigerate for 3 weeks (2 minimum)
- Add new lemons in as you get close to running out
- SANITIZE: Boil your jars and lids for 10 minutes minimum. If it's too noisy, turn the heat down to a simmer. Remove and dry with clean towels.
- LEMONS + SALT: Scrub and dry lemons. Cut each lemon twice vertically while keeping them whole (so basically cut a cross down the middle). Salt the inside of each lemon and squeeze them into the jars. You want to release a lot of juice but you're not juicing them so just give each a good squeeze before placing into the jars. Smush as many in as you can, add 3-4 palmfuls of salt and then a handful of peppercorn. Larger jars, more salt and peppercorn, small jars use less. You get the idea. Cover the rest with fresh lemon juice (do not use the stuff in the plastic lemons).
- TURN + WAIT: Close the lids and turn a few times to distribute the salt, and then leave on the counter for a day or two, turning every few hours. Sitting at room temperature helps the lemons mellow out faster and gets the process going. You can stick directly into the refrigerator but you'd have to turn it more often for longer, so it's up to you. Place in the refrigerator for 3 weeks (2 minimum).
- Enjoy.
Notes:
KEEP THE LIQUID
Once you're near the end of your jar, just cut and salt more lemons to smush into the jars. Just make sure there's enough juice to cover, and add a handful of salt to replenish the salinity, and wait another 3 weeks. I always have two jars of preserved lemons on hand so I just switch off.
