How To Make Preserved Lemons

Step 1

Instructions

Step 2

Scrub the outside of each lemon with water and then set aside.

Step 3

While they are drying, measure out the sea salt into a bowl.

Step 4

Cut the ends off each lemon and then cut into quarters.

Step 5

Pick out any seeds you see and discard.

Step 6

In a sterilized wide-mouth quart jar, sprinkle a few teaspoons of salt in the bottom.

Step 7

Roll each lemon quarter into the sea salt and place into the jar face down. They should be in there firmly but you shouldn’t need to press so hard you squish out all the juice from the lemons.

Step 8

Add a bay leaf to the side of the jar as you are adding the salted lemons.

Step 9

Allow an inch or two of space at the top of the jar.

Step 10

Repeat steps 5-8 with the second quart jar.

Step 11

Divide any remaining salt from the bowl between the two jars and pour over the top.

Step 12

Use the lemons you have left to squeeze the juice over the salted lemons. You need enough fresh lemon juice to completely cover the lemons.

Step 13

Place a weight inside the jar to keep the lemons under the lemon juice. If you don’t have a fermentation weight you can use a half-pint jar placed inside the wide mouth quart jar.

Step 14

Cover with a fermentation lid. This could be the silicone kind or the airlock shown above. If you don’t have a fermentation lid, just lightly cover with a jar lid. You’ll need to release fermentation pressure from the jar every few days if you cover it with a regular lid. You can also use a towel to cover the jar if you used a half-pint jar for your weight.

Step 15

During the first few days, the jar may need a little shake to get the salt dissolved and off the bottom.

Step 16

Let sit in a cool, dark place for 3 weeks.

Step 17

Remove weight and replace with a regular lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 9 months!