How to Preserve Lemons ~ Moroccan preserved lemons is a unique condiment that brightens up a lot of Middle Eastern recipes but can be hard to find in stores ~ I’ll show you how to make them right at home, it’s easy!
In parts of the country where citrus grows naturally, the trees are practically groaning with fruit right now. Some trees topple over or lose branches from the weight of so much bounty. And the fruit has to be picked in order for the trees to set buds for next year’s crop. Here in California charities will come and pick your fruit for you in exchange for the harvest. In stores all over the country this will be the last week or two that citrus will take center stage, before the early strawberries and other spring crops start to come in. Pretty soon the unusual varieties like Meyer lemons, Cara Cara oranges, and pomelos will be a distant memory.
There aren’t many foods that match the versatility of citrus—we eat it raw, and use it as an ingredient in sweets, meats, fish, vegetables, drinks, and endless condiments. Every last part of the citrus fruit is valuable in the culinary world. Citrus can actually do the ‘cooking’ too—the acids in citrus will transform raw fish in ceviche. And because of the powerful essential oils in their rinds, citrus fruits are a huge source of flavorings
As Ina Garten will tell you, a squeeze of lemon adds that special something to just about every dish imaginable. There are endless recipes I could have chosen for my week long celebration of citrus, but I decided to focus on ones that feature the glorious fruit as the main ingredient.
Preserved lemons are best known as a Middle Eastern and North African condiment, but the concept of preserving lemons in some sort of brine is an ancient technique in lots of cultures.
Preserved lemons are lemons that are pickled in a brine of salt and their own juice. You can add a few spices if you want to, or leave them plain. The fruit ferments at room temperature for a month, and at the end you’ll have an authentic ingredient for Moroccan stews, tagines, salad and couscous. But, really, you can use them in anywhere you’d normally use lemons.
What do preserved lemons taste like?
Basically the flavor is like lemon on steroids. Intensely ‘lemony’, and silky textured.
The prized part of the preserved lemon is the rind, but you can use the flesh in cooking as well, just remember to remove the seeds.
How long do preserved lemons last?
Preserved lemons will last about 6 months to a year in the refrigerator. Keep them covered in the brine, which is what preserved them. Traditionally preserved lemons are shelf stable, but I like to err on the safe side and keep them chilled.
Your preserved lemons will be ready in a month and you’ll be using them with spring lamb, vegetable couscous, chicken, salads, and anywhere you’d use regular lemons. They’ll be your new secret ingredient!
How do you use preserved lemons?
- To use your lemons just remove one from the jar, and rinse it off to remove the salt. Then you can thinly slice the rind and use it in your recipes. The flesh is great to use, too, just remove the seeds.
- Preserved lemons can be used in Moroccan and Middle Eastern recipes like tagines, couscous, hummus, etc.
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Moroccan Preserved Lemons
Equipment
- wide mouth quart jar with lid
Ingredients
- 6-7 Meyer lemons, you can use regular lemons, choose small ones
- kosher salt
- extra fresh lemon juice, if needed (I needed the juice from 2 extra lemons)
- optional spices:
- 1 star anise
- 7 cardamom pods, cracked
- 3 pieces of cinnamon stick
- several cloves
- 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp white peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Slice a bit off the stem end of the lemons, and then slice them in half, lengthwise, leaving about 1/2 inch at the bottom, in other words do not slice all the way through to the end. Then slice it in quarters the same way, so the lemon is still whole at the bottom. (See above photos)
- Sprinkle salt on all the exposed lemon flesh.
- Coat the bottom of the jar with salt, and put the lemons in,push them down and squish them a bit to fit them in. Layer more salt and the spices in between the lemons.
- Fit as many lemons as you can into the jar, and then add more lemon juice to insure that all the lemons are covered in juice.
- Let the jar sit at room temperature for about a month, shaking the jar every day to redistribute the juices. A cupboard is a good place. Then refrigerate. The preserved lemons should keep for a year in the fridge.
- When you want to use one of the lemons, take it out with clean tongs and rinse the salt off. Scrape off the flesh, seeds and pith and then slice or dice the rinds.
Although I don’t often leave a comment here, I ahve to tell you that you are my favorite food blogger, Sue! I’m always drooling over your recipes on facebook!
I would LOVE to live in an area where citrus and avocado trees flourished — you are so very lucky!
Sue I love your writing – groaning fruit trees, lemon on steroids – just as colorful as your gorgeous photos. Your pictures make me pucker! This is fascinating and adore the peak into other cultures. Thanks!
I have to say I do love citrus so I”m majorly excited for citrus week! I had preserved lemons for the first time recently and wasn’t sure how much I truly loved them…maybe homemade is the way to go!
I am utterly and entirely jealous of anyone who grows there own lemons… and then to be able to bottle that sunshine like you’ve done so beautifully here… well… I may just have to have a strop!
I used to have a backyard lemon tree, but not in this house. Imagine walking the dog past houses with citrus trees dripping with fruit and not being able to (legally) pick any??!! It’s torture.
I think I must go beg, borrow or steal some Meyer lemons. Your pictures made me smell them! So good.
You can absolutely use regular lemons for this, and I read that you can do this with limes and grapefruit, too.
These are much more beautiful than the ones I made a few years ago.
They get a little less attractive as they pickle, but I think the taste makes up for that!
Beautiful photos! I purchased some preserved lemons for a Moroccan tagine dish. I vowed after that wonderful meal that I’d make my own! Loved them.
I’m really looking forward to some great Moroccan themed meals in about a month 🙂
Whenever I have come across preserved lemons as an ingredient, I have just used an extra amount of lemon zest in its place. I hadn’t realised they were so easy to make!
Very easy— and squishing all the lemons into the jar is fun, too!
http://www.somewhereintheworldtoday.com/february-march-menton-lemon-festival/
Did you know that there’s currently a lemon festival going on in the french riviera? How serendipitous!
I didn’t know that—thanks so much for the link!
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