Pickled Lemons Recipes

HOW TO MAKE LEMON PICKLES

Steps:

• Gather 10 to 12 small ripe lemons. You can use any type of lemons that you like, including conventional or organic. Many people even like to use Meyer lemons, which are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, although they can be difficult to get your hands on. Whatever type of lemon you choose, make sure they are nice and ripe so that they have a lot of juice inside. Squeeze each lemon and make sure that it gives a little. This shows that it is nice and juicy.
• Sterilize a quart-size (1 liter) canning jar. When pickling lemons, it's important to use a clean container that will not introduce bacteria into the food. To avoid this, clean your jar and lid well with soap and hot water and then submerge them in boiling water for 10 minutes. If you don't have a quart-size (1 liter) canning jar on hand, a smaller one or a different type of jar will work. However, you will just have to cut down your ingredients to fit the size you have. Once the jars and lids have been boiled, lay them out on a clean towel to dry.
• Clean the outside of the lemons. Scrub the lemons so that you remove any wax, pesticides, or residue that is on the surface. You can simply rinse them under running cold water, scrub them with baking soda or vinegar, or use a commercial fruit and vegetable wash. You can use a kitchen scrubber or brush to clean the lemons.
• Slice the lemons into 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch (0.64 to 1.27 cm) slices. Cut each lemon in half horizontally. Place the flat cut surface on your cutting board so you can easily cut off the stems and dispose of them. Then make 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch (0.64 to 1.27 cm) slices all along the length of each piece.
• Remove all the lemon seeds. Look over each piece and use the tip of your knife or your fingers to take out all of the seeds. The seeds are not good for eating and should not be included in the pickle.
• Mix the lemons slices with salt. Put the lemons in a bowl and pour in 1/4 cup (68 grams) of salt. Stir the salt and lemons together until all of the lemons are coated. You can use any type of salt you have in your kitchen. However, pickling salt is good because it doesn't have additives that can cloud up your pickle. On the other hand, sea salt and kosher salt contain natural minerals that can enhance flavor. As the lemons are coated with salt, they will begin to give off more liquid. This is normal and nothing to worry about.
• Let the lemons sit in the jar on your counter for about a week. Put your coated lemons into your prepared jar and put on the lid. Keep the lemons at room temperature to start the pickling process. When the whites of the rinds are beginning to become translucent, you can move on with the process. Shake the jar a few times daily to ensure that all of the lemons are coated in the salt and are beginning to pickle. The number of days you let the lemons sit can vary. Some people let the lemons sit for only a few days. Just remember that the goal is to let the pickling process start without any seasonings added, which can hinder the lemons absorbing the salt.
• Cook your seasonings in a dry pan on low heat. Gather about 1 tablespoon of dry seasonings and 2 tablespoons of any garlic and chilis you want to add. To bring out the flavor of the dry seasonings, cook them in a dry pan on low heat until you can start to smell them. Seasonings that really do well with this type of treatment include mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and carom (ajwan) seeds. If you are adding fresh garlic and chilis to your lemon pickle, cook them in a small amount of canola oil to bring out their flavor and reduce the heat of the chilis a bit. Cool the seasonings to room temperature before adding them to your jar.
• Stir the seasonings into the jar and place it in the refrigerator. Pour your room temperature seasonings into the jar of lemons. Then stir everything together until it is well blended. At that point, put the lid back on the jar and put it in the fridge for several more weeks. Once your lemons have turned translucent and are soft and pliable, they are done and ready to eat. Some people keep the jar at room temperature, since the amount of salt in the lemons keeps them from spoiling. However, it is a better food handling process to keep them cold in the refrigerator just in case pieces of lemon are not fully submerged in the salty liquid.Tip: Use your lemon pickle within a year.

QUICK PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Trim the ends off the lemons. Slice each lemon into 8 wedges, removing any seeds as you go. Reserve as much of the juice as possible.
• Layer the lemon wedges in a wide-mouthed 16-ounce canning jar, covering each layer with salt. Pack the jar as tightly as possible, pressing down to release the lemons' juice as you go and leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace in the jar.
• Cover the wedges with the reserved lemon juice from the cutting board and the ends. If your lemons do not release a significant amount of juice, top off the jar with the juice of another lemon.
• Stash in the refrigerator for 4 days, then flip the jar over and age another 4 days before sampling. The peel should be nice and soft. Rinse before using.

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• 1. If you wish to soften the peel, soak the lemons in lukewarm water for 3 days, changing the water daily.
• 2. Quarter the lemons from the top to within 1/2 inch of the bottom, sprinkle salt on the exposed flesh, then reshape the fruit.
• 3. Place 1 tablespoon salt on the bottom of the mason jar. Pack in the lemons and push them down, adding more salt, and the optional spices between layers. Press the lemons down to release their juices and to make room for the remaining lemons. (If the juice released from the squashed fruit does not cover them, add freshly squeezed lemon juice - not chemically produced lemon juice and not water.*) Leave some air space before sealing the jar.
• 4. Let the lemons ripen in a warm place, shaking the jar each day to distribute the salt and juice. Let ripen for 30 days. To use, rinse the lemons, as needed, under running water, removing and discarding the pulp, if desired - and there is no need to refrigerate after opening. Preserved lemons will keep up to a year, and the pickling juice can be used two or three times over the course of a year.
• According to the late Michael Field, the best way to extract the maximum amount of juice from a lemon is to boil it in water for 2 or 3 minutes and allow it to cool before squeezing.
• Paula Wolfert shares her tips with Epicurious:
• •Located on Morocco's Atlantic coast, south of Casablanca and north of Essaouira, the city of Safi is known for its seafood specialties. •To most closely approximate the flavor of Moroccan lemons, Wolfert recommends Meyer lemons for this recipe. This lemon/mandarin orange hybrid, in season in January and February, has yellow-orange flesh, a smooth rind, and a sweeter flavor than other lemons. •To sterilize a mason jar for the lemons, place it upside down in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes. Using tongs (wrap the ends in rubber bands for a better grip), remove the hot jar and dry it upside down on a paper towel-lined baking sheet in a warm oven. To sterilize the jar's top, boil it in water for 5 minutes, then remove with tongs. For more information on home canning, click here. •When you're ready to use a lemon, remove it with clean utensils to avoid contaminating the inside of the jar with bacteria. This way, the remaining contents of the jar will not need to be refrigerated.

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Scrub 3 to 5 organic lemons, enough to fit snugly in a medium jar with a tight-fitting lid (have 2 to 4 more ready on the side). Slice each lemon from the top to within 1/2 inch of the bottom, almost cutting them into quarters but leaving them attached at one end. Rub kosher salt over the cut surfaces, then reshape the fruit. Cover the bottom of the jar with more kosher salt. Fit all the cut lemons in, breaking them apart if necessary. Sprinkle salt on each layer.
• Press the lemons down to release their juices. Add to the jar the peppercorns and bay leaves, then squeeze the additional lemons into the jar until juice covers everything.
• Close the jar and let ripen at cool room temperature, shaking the jar every day for 3 to 4 weeks, or until the rinds are tender to the bite. Then store it in the refrigerator.
• To use, remove a piece of lemon and rinse it. (Add more fresh lemons to the brine as you use them up.) The minced rind is added at the very end of cooking or used raw; the pulp can be added to a simmering pot.

QUICK PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Wash lemons in hot water (to remove any waxy coating); halve them lengthwise and slice very thinly crosswise. Combine with salt, sugar, and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand at room temperature 1 day, then transfer to a jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Sterilize two 1.5-liter canning jars and two 1-liter canning jars with clamp-top lids (we used Fido brand) by boiling them and their rubber seals in water 10 minutes. Remove with tongs, and let cool.
• Cut stem end off each of 24 to 30 lemons. Make 5 or 6 slits (a little less than 1/2 inch deep) down the length of each lemon with a sharp paring knife, cutting to within 1/2 inch of bottom of lemon but not all the way through. Press top of lemon with your palm to flatten and cause slits to splay open. Gather and save any juices that accumulate on cutting board. Pack as much salt as possible (about 1 tablespoon) into each slit.
• Place about 1/2 cup salt in each 1.5-liter jar, and pour in a little lemon juice. Working with 1 jar at a time, add 1 lemon, and flatten as much as possible. Sprinkle in a little more salt, add another lemon and repeat process, adding more juice every so often. Repeat until you reach top of jar (each jar should take 12 to 15 lemons). Seal jars, and refrigerate 20 days, shaking and rotating once a day, before giving as a gift. Most but not all of the salt will dissolve.
• For remaining lemons, trim stem end of each lemon and cut in half lengthwise; cut each half into 8 pieces. For every 2 cups of lemon pieces, toss with 1/2 cup salt in a bowl. Fill two 1-liter jars with lemon mixture, pressing down as many lemon pieces as possible and causing them to exude some of their juice. Seal jars, and refrigerate at least 10 days, shaking and rotating once a day, before giving as gifts.

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Toss the lemon slices in kosher salt to coat, and place them into a sterile 2 quart glass jar. Pour in the lemon juice, cover tightly, and let stand on the counter for 1 week. Turn the jar over daily. At the end of the week, top the jar off with enough olive oil to cover the lemons. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 months.
• To use, pull the lemon pulp from the peel, and scrape out the pith to leave only the yellow rind. Julienne, and add to your favorite dish for a lemony zing.

PICKLED LEMONS

Steps:

• Wash and slice lemons into about six slices cutting from tip to tip, and pack tightly into sterilised jars (this can be doing by bringing the jars and lids to the boil for 10 minutes).
• mix the water, salt and vinegar together and boil for 6 minutes.
• leave to slightly cool then fill up the jars with the liquid, and keep for about a month in a cupboard before using. This recipe does 2-3 jars.

LEMON PICKLE

Steps:

• Fry the mustard seeds in the hot oil. As they begin to pop, add the curry leaves and urad dhal. Lower the heat and add the chili powder; cook until brown, then add the vinegar. Stir in the lemon, remove from the heat and leave to cool. Can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.;

PICKLED PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Quarter each lemon from top to within 1/2 inch of bottom so that slices are still attached to bottom of lemon.
• Rub salt on exposed flesh and re-form.
• Place 2 tablespoons of salt on the bottom of a jar (size of the lemons will determine the size of jar needed).
• Pack lemons in layers, alternating with salt, until jar is full. Add fresh lemon juice, if necessary, to cover lemons.
• Close jar and store on a shelf.
• Occasionally turn jar over to redistribute salt.
• Lemons can be used in two weeks and will keep unrefrigerated for a year.
• To use, rinse slices under cold water to remove salt.
• Remove and discard pulp.
• Use rind as a flavoring agent, cutting it up to spike up a vegetable salad or to add to the pan when you are deglazing after sauteing meats or fish.