How to Make Preserved Lemons
Preserved lemons are cured simply in a salt brine and come in all shapes and sizes depending on the culinary applications. Home cooks and chefs get creative by adding a variety of different spices to give their preserved lemons a unique flavor. You can use preserved lemons in almost everything from stews to soups to even stir-fries. Their lemony flavor is very intense but surprisingly accessible for the typical palate, and you can get the full nutritional benefits by consuming the entire fruit from the skin to pulp.
Servings Prep Time
20servings 15minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20minutes 3 – 4 weeks
Servings Prep Time
20servings 15minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20minutes 3 – 4 weeks
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Wash and scrub each lemon clean, enough to fit snugly in your glass jar.
  2. Slice or cut each lemon into shapes and sizes that you see yourself typically use in your cooking. I like to make a variety of shapes and sizes such as thick and thin slices, quarters, half-quarters etc. for more versatility.
  3. Place cut lemons into one or more mixing bowl depending on whether you have more than 1 glass jar to split the lemons by shapes. Add salt to bowl(s) and rub salt over all cut surfaces.
  4. Wash and dry a 1-quart glass jar or 2 pint-size glass jars with airtight lids. (For best results consider sterilizing the quart canning jar).
  5. Cover the bottom of each jar with at least 1 tablespoon of salt. Then stuff lemons snuggly into each jar. Press the lemons down to release some of their juices. Pour remaining salt and any lemon juices from the mixing bowl(s) into the glass jar(s).
  6. Close the jar(s) tightly and let cure at room temperature for 3 to 4 weeks. Shake the jar(s) every 3 to 4 days to re-distribute the brine.
  7. Ready to use in about 3 to 4 weeks.
  8. To use preserved lemons in cooking, remove one from the jar and rinse it to remove the salt. Discard any seeds. Remove the pulp. Thinly slice or chop the preserved lemon rind to use in a recipe.
  9. The minced rind is added at the very end of cooking or used raw; the pulp can be added to a simmering pot.
  10. Feel free to add more fresh lemons to the brine as you use them up.
Recipe Notes

Preserved lemons can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Note: 

Experiment with adding other spices or mixing them up to the preserved lemons – cardamom, vanilla, cloves, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and peppercorns.

I like to use Meyer lemons for making preserved lemons because they are milder than Eureka lemons (the regular lemons you buy at the supermarket), they work beautifully preserved this way.