Every week, we order an Odd Bunch fruit box, and while it’s a wonderful way to keep fresh fruit in the house, sometimes we find ourselves with a little more of one thing than we know what to do with.
Right now, it’s lemons!
Rather than letting them sit in the fruit bowl or watching them slowly dry out, I’ve been thinking about ways to make the most of them. One idea that caught my attention is preserving lemons with salt.
Preserved lemons are a staple in Moroccan cooking. With nothing more than lemons, salt and a little patience, the fruit transforms over several weeks into something quite special. The peel softens, the sharp citrus flavour mellows, and the result is a wonderfully fragrant, salty ingredient that can bring a little sunshine to all sorts of dishes.
A little jar of sunshine
The process is surprisingly simple. Lemons are quartered, generously salted and packed tightly into a clean glass jar. Fresh lemon juice is added to keep them completely submerged, and then the jar goes into the refrigerator to slowly work its magic over the next four to six weeks.
No complicated equipment, no long list of ingredients. Just a little preparation and some patience.
Traditional salt-preserved lemons
Ingredients
- 6–8 unwaxed lemons, preferably organic
- About ½ cup (120 g) coarse kosher or pickling salt, plus extra as needed
- 1–2 extra lemons for juice, if needed
Use a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, sized so the lemons fit snugly.
Method
1. Wash the lemons
Scrub the lemons thoroughly under running water and dry them. Since you’ll be eating the peel, choose unwaxed lemons if possible.
2. Cut the lemons
Cut each lemon lengthwise into quarters, stopping about 1–2 cm from the bottom so the quarters remain attached. Open each lemon gently.
3. Salt generously
Pack approximately 1 tablespoon of salt into each lemon, between the quarters. Sprinkle a little extra salt into the bottom of your jar.
4. Pack the jar
Push the lemons firmly into the jar, squeezing out their juice as you go. Sprinkle a little salt between layers. Add fresh lemon juice until all the lemons are completely submerged.
Keep the lemons fully submerged in brine throughout curing.
Let them cure
Seal the jar and refrigerate it. Gently turn or shake the jar occasionally to distribute the brine. Allow 4–6 weeks for the peel to soften and the flavours to develop.
Important food-safety notes
- Keep the lemons fully submerged in brine throughout curing.
- Refrigerate throughout the process; don’t rely on a room-temperature countertop cure.
- Use a clean utensil to remove lemons.
- Discard the entire jar if you see mould, unusual sliminess or notice an off smell. Don’t simply remove a mouldy lemon.
Once they’re ready, preserved lemons can be used in everything from roasted vegetables and salad dressings to chicken dishes, fish, lentils and grain salads. A little finely chopped peel adds a bright, savoury depth that fresh lemon simply can’t replicate.
When Brennan arrived home and asked about my little preserving Lemons project, he mentioned that the Salt-and-sugar-cured lemons can have a more rounded, balanced flavour, with the sugar softening some of the sharpness. Depending on the proportions and technique, they’re useful for dressings, sauces, marinades and more creative restaurant-style dishes.
- Thomas Keller’s cured lemon slices use a generous salt-and-sugar mixture and are refrigerated for two weeks to a month. A restaurant-style technique.
- Slice lemons uniformly to 1/8 inch thickness
- Layer lemons with enough equal parts salt‑sugar mixture to keep them fully covered
- Allow the lemons to cure for the full three days.
Making the most of what we have
We spend a lot of time thinking about growing food, harvesting it and making good use of what the garden provides. But reducing waste doesn’t stop at the garden gate.
Sometimes it’s about finding a new use for something already sitting in the kitchen–like turning our surplus lemons into a jar of golden, fragrant preserved lemons to enjoy through the colder months.
Have you ever preserved lemons?
I’d love to hear how you use them in your kitchen!
Heather
(AKA Little Farm Cart)