🥘 Ingredients
- Meyer lemons or regular lemons if not available 1-2
- Kosher
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If your lemons are very small, you’ll need more of them. Regular lemons tend to be a bit bigger than Meyer lemons, so you might not need as many. For optional flavoring ideas, see the Frequently Asked Questions section on my blog. Storage: Store the lemons in the same jar in which you fermented them, with the preserving liquid, for at least six months, but they can last up to one year.
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1Gather: Meyer lemons or regular lemons if not available , Kosher salt lots of it.
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2Grab a large canning jar that is just large enough to hold the lemons (a 32-ounce / 1 L jar will hold about 7 to 10 Meyer lemons). Cover the bottom of your canning jar with 1-2 tbsp of kosher salt. TIP: I like to use a canning jar with a rubber gasket to protect the lid from corrosion.
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3Rinse the lemons and scrub them really well. Set aside 1-2 lemons for juicing at the end.
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4Cut off a thin slice from both ends of each lemon so they have a flat bottom. Stand each lemon up and slice lengthwise, almost all the way through but keep the lemon attached at the base. Flip the lemon by 90º and slice lengthwise again, as if quartering the lemons into wedges, but not all the way through (see photo here).
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5Gently pry the lemons open but do not detach them. Fill each crevice with a generous amount of kosher salt (a generous 1 tbsp in my estimation). Seal the lemons up to close (see photo here).
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6Add a few lemons to the jar. Press them down with a muddler, a pair of tongs, a pestle, or a sturdy spoon so that they release their juices and you can make room for more lemons. Pack the jar as tightly as you can with the salted lemons, pressing down to cover them with their juices. NOTE: If the juice released does not cover the lemons, squeeze the juice from the reserved 1-2 lemons on top. If covered by their juices and you have a little extra space, you can salt the remaining lemons and add them to the jar.
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7Cover the lemons with 2 tbsp of kosher salt (and any optional flavorings). Seal the jar and let it sit at room temperature (I store it in my pantry) for at least 3 weeks, or until the lemon rinds are very soft. Gently shake the jar every day, turning upside down, for the first 2 weeks.
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8When ready to use, you can use the entire lemon, but it’s more common to scoop out the flesh and use only the peel. If desired, wash the lemon peel before using to make slightly less salty (I don't typically do this).