Homemade preserved lemons are super easy to make and will last six months in your fridge (if you don’t use them before then!). Use them to add brightness and flavor to chicken salad, stew, sandwiches, veggies, and baked chicken to name a few.
Preserved lemons are a staple in Moroccan and Middle Eastern cooking, and they add the most amazing citrusy, salty, and umami flavor to dishes. They’re rediculously simple to make – all you need is salt, sugar and a little patience.
If you’ve never tried them before, this is the perfect time to start a jar! You will thank yourself when tossing them into tagines, salads, or even pasta dishes.
Preserved Lemons
Adds a little brightness to any dish
Equipment
- 1 sterile quart mason jar
Ingredients
- 5 Lemons, scrubbed clean Meyer preferred
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp salt
Instructions
- Mix sugar and salt together.
- Cut lemon by placing stem end down and slicing into 1/4's or 1/8's, leaving stem end connected.
- Rub salt and sugar mixture into lemon slices, with goal of covering all the lemon.
- Add lemons one at a time to jar, pressing down and topping with more salt and sugar mixture each time. Continue with all lemons, leaving about 1/2" at top of jar. Screw on lid.
- Leave on counter for 7 days, turning a couple times a day. Transfer to refrigerator for 3 weeks, turning once a week. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Preserved lemons will last 6 months. Flesh and skins are edible. You can add peppercorns, bay leaves, chili pepper. Be creative!