Friends Drift Inn Food Preservation
Bring a little Sunshine to your Winter Recipes
Pickling Lemons
I never heard of Preserved Lemons before Steve Sando’s Heirloom Beans Recipe book. Then I happened across Elise from Simply Recipes take on the Middle Eastern favorite.
Always looking for something new I just had to try them.
The acidic, yet mellow flavor, will awaken up your winter weary taste buds!
Preserved lemons, add a citrus zing to beans salads, soups. Even cheese balls!
Most instructions for this lemony marvel, call for Meyer lemons. In Appalachia, Meyer lemons not only don’t grow on trees, they don’t appear at the local groceries. I used Eureka lemons with satisfactory results. If you can find organic lemons by all means buy them for this project as organics should have no pesticides or petroleum wax on the rinds.
Experiment with other spices. I used bay leaves. Peppercorns might be an interesting choice.
More Lemon Ideas
More Quick Pickle Recipes
Preserved Lemons Recipe
Pickling, Canning, Food Preservation, Citrus, Garnish
You Need
- About 12 Lemons
- About 1/2 Cup Canning Salt; perhaps a bit more
- Seasoning flavors I used 6 dried bay leaves
- 1 Quart Mason Jar with ring and cap (Wide Mouth is Easier to work with)
Method
This is a “by sight” process, so don’t get too hung up on measurements.
1. Scrub lemons and sterilize Mason Jar
2. Put a tablespoon full of salt in bottom of Mason Jar.
3. Put an cross cut horizontally and vertically about three quarters of the way through first lemon, leaving it whole.
4. Pack cut surface with salt and put in jar.
5. Repeat process until jar is full, adding bay leaves among the lemons. Occassionally add salt to the layers as needed.
6. Pack lemons down to create juice. Squeeze additional lemons to bring juice level up to top of jar.
7. Add salt to top off, wipe jar rim and screw cap and ring into place.
8. Leave at room temperature for a few days, alternately flipping the jar upside down to let the salt move through the mixture.
9. Store in refrigerator for up to 6 months.
To Use
It takes about 3 weeks before these are ready. The skins will be soft and pliable.
Pull out as much of lemon section as you think you need. Scrape away the flesh, leaving only the peel. Rinse. I like these cut in little ribbons as a garnish especially for white bean salad. Finely minced, these make a sunny addition to hummus or quinoa salad.
©Friends Drift Inn Enterprises, LLC ALL RIGHTS reserved
Friends Drift Inn Recipes, Gardening and Hot Flashes
Lemons
Quick Pickles
Pickling
Food Preservation
I live in a barn and cook up a storm. I am not a debutante. I have hot flashes. I garden in red high heels. I like fat rascals, tea, and bourbon. Welcome to Friends Drift Inn!
I love this recipe…. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you for supporting the SuperSowSunday Event. We are going to have a blast!
I was looking through a Southern Living magazine, and there were preserved limes in a jelly jar for $8. Eight dollars! Y’all we can do this!