Easy Preserved Lemons (Salt Pickled Lemons)
Follow this easy recipe to make preserved lemons (salt pickled lemons) to add a burst of bright tangy flavor to a wide variety of meals including tagine, marinades, stews, sauces, dips, salads, dressings and more.
Equipment
- 1 glass quart jar (or liter jar), flip-top or with a lid
- fermentation tamper or large spoon to press the lemons down in the jar
- optional: fermentation weight
Ingredients
- 6-10 fresh organic lemons (per quart or liter jar), plus a couple lemons on reserve for extra juice if needed. Use about half the amount for a pint jar. Meyer lemons preferred.
- 1/2-1 cup kosher salt, such as sea salt or pickling salt (not iodized table salt)
- optional: one or two bay leaves, peppercorns, red chili flakes, and/or sugar.
Instructions
Prep
- Thoroughly scrub and wash your lemons - you'll be eating the peel!
- Gently press and roll the whole lemons back and forth on the counter or cutting board to soften and release juices.
- Trim off the stem and bottom portion of the lemon rind, and then cut an X into the top of the lemon to divide it into quarters - but don't cut all the way through! Leave the bottom 1/4 of the lemon intact it stays connected.
Pack the Jar
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of salt to the bottom of a very clean glass jar. (1 Tbsp for pint jars, and 2 Tbsp for quart or liter jars). Also add 1 teaspoon of cane sugar if you’d prefer your preserved lemons with a touch of sweetness.
- Sprinkle each lemon with 1 to 2 tablespoons of salt. Without detaching the bottoms, gently pry open and pack salt into the cut sections too.
- Add a few salted lemons to the jar, and then firmly press down with a tamper or large spoon to release juices and make room for more lemons on top.
- Optional: If you’d like to add one or two bay leaves, a pinch of red chili flakes or peppercorns, do so now.
- Continue to add more lemons, packing and pressing as you go. Fill the jar as tightly as you can but leave a little headroom on top – about 1/2 to 1 inch, depending on the size of the jar and if you’re using a fermentation weight.
- Once full, sprinkle another 1 to 2 tablespoons of salt on top of the lemons. Optional: add another 1 tsp of sugar if you desire.
- The salted lemons should be completely submerged in their juices now. If they aren’t, squeeze the juice from the reserved lemons on top until they’re covered. Optional: add a fermentation weight on top to help keep them submerged.
Ferment and Wait
- Cover the jar with a lid. Since preserved lemons are so acidic and salty, I like to add a layer of wax paper under the metal mason jar lid to prevent corrosion.
- Leave the jar out at room temperature to ferment for about a week (out of direct sunlight) and then transfer to the refrigerator or a cool root cellar for long-term storage.
- Let the lemons sit and cure for at least 3 to 4 weeks total before consuming.
- Gently tip or shake the jar once every couple of days for the first week or two (especially if you didn’t use a fermentation weight).
- Preserved lemons will stay good for about a year when stored in a cold, dark location.
Using Preserved Lemons
- Before use, thoroughly rinse the pickled lemons to remove excess salt before consuming. If you find them too salty, use the peels only as the flesh is often the most salty.
- In most cases, it’s best to thinly slice or mince preserved lemons before adding them to a dish. A little goes a long way! Try only 1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced at first and then add more as needed.
- Preserved lemons pair well with any savory dish were a bright tangy pop of deep lemon flavor would be welcome - such as stews, marinades, braises, tagine, roasted chicken or vegetables, stir fry, salads, dips, salad dressing, aioli, yogurt sauce, pilaf, couscous, pasta, or hummus.
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