Preserved Lemons

Try this Unique and Fun Flavor

The salty -tangy flavor of a preserved lemon will make your dish sing with flavor. They are easy to make with only two ingredients and thirty minutes worth of effort.  After a month of fermenting you will have a jar of preserved lemons available for the next year.

This recipe uses Meyer lemons which are a lemon, mandarin-orange hybrid---they're sweeter than regular lemons.  They can be found in most grocery stores in January and February.  Meyer lemons work particularly well for preserving because their rind is delicate and their pulp has a sweeter flavor than other lemons.

Preserved lemons use salt to inhibit yeast activity and create an environment for lactic acid fermentation.  This food preservation method has long been used in Moroccan foods, but can add a unique flavor profile to your own home cooking.  I use kosher or canning salt because they don't contain anti-caking ingredients or minerals that would create off flavors and cloudiness.

Watch my short time-lapse video to see the simple process of making preserved lemons.

My instructions for preserved lemons will take about a month of fermentation.  If you're looking for a quicker method for making preserved lemons, check out these instructions for Sunset magazine's Speedy Preserved Meyer Lemons.  I haven't tried this version, but it cuts the time down to about a week.

Have you ever tasted preserved lemons? Have you made preserved lemons before?  I have been experimenting with recipes using these tasty, lemony bites and I will be sharing them with you in the coming months.  In the meantime, I challenge you to get a jar of preserved lemons fermenting on your counter.  We can share our recipes in the months ahead.

Print Recipe

Preserved Lemons

These fermented lemons add a salty-tang to your recipes. While regular lemons can also be preserved, I recommend Meyer lemons because they are thin-skinned, sweeter and less acidic than regular lemons. While you might look at the recipe and be tempted to reduce the salt, don't. The salt is an important part of the preservation process. You will be rinsing off a lot of the salt before adding them to your recipes.

Prep Time30 mins

Fermentation30 d

Total Time30 d 30 mins

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Moroccan

Servings: 8 half lemons

Calories: 10kcal

Author: Karen

Equipment

• 1 quart mason jar with plastic lid

Ingredients

• 1 pound Meyer lemons about 4 lemons
• ¼ cup salt kosher salt or canning salt

Instructions

• Sterilize a 1 quart canning jar.
• Cut washed lemons into quarters lengthwise, leaving them attached at the base. Remove the seeds.
• Rub the salt into the cut surfaces and rind of the cut lemons. Press each lemon into the quart jar, releasing the juices with each push.
• Make sure that lemons are entirely covered in lemon juice. Add any leftover salt to the jar. If needed, place a small canning jar on the lemons to push them under the brine. Additional fresh lemon juice can be added if needed.
• Cover with a plastic lid and allow to ferment at room temperature until the lemons have completely soften, about 30 days. Every few days, shake your lemons to keep the salt dispersed in the brine.
• Preserved lemons will last in the refrigerator for one year.

Notes

Rinse these lemons under running water to remove the salty liquid before using them.  When using preserved lemons in recipes, use both the pulp and the rinds.

Kosher and canning salts are recommended because they do not contain anti-caking ingredients or minerals that would provide off flavors and residue.