How To Make Preserved Lemons and Preserved Lemon Paste
Servings: 6 preserved lemons
Learn how to make homemade preserved lemons and preserved lemon paste with this easy step-by-step recipe. Discover the history of preserved lemons, how to use them in savory and sweet recipes, plus all the best tips for success.
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Ingredients
- 12 lemons divided, organic unwaxed if possible
- 6 Tbsp flaky sea salt
- ½ tsp black peppercorns optional
- 4 bay leaves optional
Instructions
Sterilize the jar the day before:
- Get a large jar with a wide-mouth that can fit in 6 large whole lemons. I use a 64-oz wide-mouth canning jars
- Boil a large pot of water to a rolling boil. To safely pour the boiling water into the jar without burning myself, I pour some of the hot water into a heat-proof measuring cup with a spout and then pour into the jar. Repeat this process to fill the jar up with boiling water all the way to the top. I leave it for 5 minutes after that. We are sterilizing the jar.
- Then carefully pour the water out to discard. Don't wipe it dry because you are introducing germs again to the jar. Let the jar air dry naturally in a cool, dry place and a place you know your kids or family member won't be touching the jar
Prepare the lemons:
- We will preserve 6 lemons and juice the other 6 lemons one week later. Wash the lemons and pat them really dry.6 lemons
Preserving the lemons:
- Cut a deep cross from the top all the way to about an inch from the base of the lemon. So the lemons are cut into quarters, but still attached at the base if that's making sense. Spoon 1 Tbsp of the flaky sea salt into each of the lemon.
- Carefully place each lemon inside the sterilized jar. Packing them in tightly. Cover the mouth of the jar with cling wrap and then seal the jar with the lid. This is to prevent the lid from rusting. Leave it at room temperature for one week. My room temperature is about 70 F (21 C)6 Tbsp flaky sea salt
After one week:
- I like to zest the 6 lemons that I'm going to juice and save the zest for other uses (like in baking or cooking). I wrap it in cling wrap and freeze the zest. Then juice the 6 lemons6 lemons
- After one week, open the lid and use a clean long wooden spatula or any utensil to push on the lemons. This will squeeze out some juice from the lemons. Push as hard as you can. Pour the lemon juice you just squeeze earlier. Make sure they are submerged in the juice. You may need more than 6 lemons to get enough juice.1/2 tsp black peppercorns, 4 bay leaves
- Add the peppercorns and bay leaves. Push them into the juice. Close the lid again and this time leave it in the fridge for at least 4 weeks.
- The longer you leave them, the better and stronger the flavor is going to be. I leave them for a total of 8 weeks in the fridge. During that time you can always open the lid and push the lemons into the juice to make sure they are submerged. The preserved lemons will also release more juice as time passes. Add more lemon juice if needed to make sure they are always submerged in the juice
Make sure to get more than 6 lemons, just in case you need more lemon juice
How to tell if preserved lemons are ready: If you taste a small piece of rind and it still tastes aggressively bitter or the peel still feels tough, just give it more time. Preserved lemons are one of those things that genuinely improve with patience.For me personally: 4 weeks = usable, 6 weeks = noticeably better, 8 weeks = my favorite stage for the best depth of flavor
Store in the fridge:
- The preserved lemon can be kept in the fridge for 6 months
How to make preserved lemon paste:
- You can keep your preserved lemon in whole pieces as is. I like to turn them into a paste because it is convenient to use.
- Simply remove the lemon from the jar using clean utensils or tongs. You can scrape off the lemon pulps or keep them. I've seen people do both. The flavor is actually on the rind. But I choose to keep the pulp (I hate throwing things away if I don't have to LOL). Remove any seeds
- Place the preserved lemons into a blender. You will need to add some of the brine to help things go, about 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a smooth puree consistency. Transfer this to a clean jar and store in the fridge for up to 6 months (some people managed to keep it for 2 years!)
Use a clean utensil every time you want to get some preserved lemon or preserved lemon paste from the jar. This helps to prolong its shelf life
