Making your own preserved lemons at home is incredibly easy and requires just 2 ingredients: lemons and kosher salt! Lemon wedges are packed into a jar layered with kosher salt then left to cure for 3-4 weeks. Preserved lemons are tangy, briny, and the perfect way to add a bright pop of flavor to recipes.
A gifted harvest of homegrown Eureka lemons turned into a delicious batch of homemade preserved lemons! Preserved lemons are a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern and North African cuisine, adding a bright, salty tang to tagines and other dishes. I love having them on hand to add a bright pop of flavor to dressings, sauces, and salads. These are so easy to make and perfect for keeping to yourself or gifting to fellow culinarian friends. The hardest part is waiting 3-4 weeks for them to be ready to use!
Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions
You can use any lemon variety here. I’ve made this recipe with both Eureka lemons and Meyer lemons and each batch has turned out great! I recommend using kosher salt here since it will produce the best results in the fermentation/curing process. It also has a clean, pure taste unlike iodized salt. If you don’t have access to kosher salt, use a coarse sea salt. If you are using a jar with a metal lid, I recommend lining it with plastic wrap or parchment as the acid in the lemons can corrode it.
Ways to Use Your Preserved Lemons
Preserved lemons are a great way to add a bright, tangy pop of flavor to a bunch of different dishes. Here are a few ways I’ve used them lately:
+ pureed into a salad dressing
+ finely chopped and added to cooked rice along with a handful of fresh herbs for an easy pilaf
+ chopped and tossed with some roasted veggies for a bright, salty punch of flavor
+ combined with plain yogurt and herbs for an all purpose dip
Homemade Preserved Lemons
- Total Time: 3-4 weeks
- Yield: 1 quart 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Making your own preserved lemons at home is incredibly easy and requires just 2 ingredients: lemons and kosher salt! Lemon wedges are packed into a jar layered with kosher salt then left to cure for 3-4 weeks. Preserved lemons are tangy, briny, and the perfect way to add a bright pop of flavor to recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lemons
- 1/3 cup kosher salt
- fresh lemon juice, as needed
- 1 clean quart jar and lid
Instructions
Thoroughly wash and scrub the lemons. Slice each lemon into eight wedges. Fill the jar about a quarter of the way with the lemon wedges, then sprinkle in about a quarter of the salt. Repeat this process, pressing down on the lemons as you go with the handle of a wooden spoon. Make sure to use the entire amount of kosher salt (1/3 cup). Once the jar is filled, place the lid on it, mark it with the date, and set it aside for 3 to 4 days in a dark, cool place like the pantry or a cupboard.
After a few days, check to see how much juice the lemons have released. It should be close to covering all of the lemons. If not, press them down with the handle of a wooden spoon and add enough fresh lemon juice to completely cover the lemons. Replace the lid and allow the lemons to cure for 3 to 4 weeks in a cool, dark place.
After 3 to 4 weeks, your lemons are ready to use and can be kept at room temperature in the jar for up to 6 months, or, you can place the jar in the fridge to be safe.
To use preserved lemons in a recipe, I like to rinse or pat them dry, then separate the flesh from the peel. I typically discard the flesh and use just the peel. If you’re using a recipe, follow their instructions.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
I love this Idea, even though I have not made any Moroccan dishes!
I’ve had a myer preserved lemon. Eureka lemons are tart and the ones I have at home are thick skinned. How did yours taste?
Hi! You can use any lemons here that you like! Eureka lemons are a tiny bit more tart than the Meyer lemons once preserved but they do give you more skin and rind to work with than the Meyer lemon. I use them both depending on what’s available.