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Preserved Lemons

By Groceree

Also known as Citron Confit · Moroccan Preserved Lemons

Lemons cut open, packed with salt and pressed into a jar until they drown in their own juice, then left for a month until the peel turns soft, silky and intensely lemony. The backbone of Moroccan tagines.

Last updated

A glass jar packed with quartered lemons in salt and juice, with bay leaves and peppercorns
Servings
Makes a 1 litre jar
Prep
30 min
Total
21 days 1 h

Ingredients

  • unwaxed lemons8
  • coarse sea salt150 g
  • bay leaves (optional)2
  • black peppercorns (optional)1 tsp
  • cinnamon sticks (optional)1
  • extra lemons4–6

Instructions

  1. 01

    Wash a 1 litre jar and its lid in hot soapy water, rinse, and dry it in a 120°C oven for 10 minutes; let it cool. Scrub the . Cut each into quarters from the top, stopping about 1 cm from the base so they stay joined.

  2. 02

    Open each and pack a generous tablespoon of inside.

  3. 03

    Put a layer of in the sterilised jar, then press the in tightly, squashing them so they release juice. Tuck the , and in between them.

  4. 04

    Squeeze the juice from the and pour it in until the packed are completely covered, then seal.

  5. 05

    Leave at room temperature for 3 to 4 weeks, turning the jar every few days, until the peel is soft and translucent.

  6. 06

    To use, rinse a piece, scrape out the flesh, and slice the peel. Keep the jar in the fridge once opened.

Notes

  • Keep the lemons submerged — anything above the juice can go mouldy.
  • It is the peel you use, not the flesh, which is usually thrown away.
  • A flat white film on the surface is harmless and rinses off; fuzzy, green, black or pink mould is not, so throw the jar away.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
15 kcal
Protein
0 g
Carbs
3 g
Fat
0 g

Estimated from the ingredients.

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