Moroccan Preserved Lemons have a unique lemon flavor without any of the bitter, tart characteristics of fresh lemons. They are an important ingredient when making many Moroccan and other North African dishes. Even though recipes that use Preserved Lemons are relatively easy to make, most of us don’t have Preserved Lemons sitting around in our pantry and they aren’t readily available in grocery stores. Luckily, this an easy 10-minute recipe that doesn’t involve anything more complicated than slicing a lemon into wedges and stuffing them into a jar. As the Preserved Lemons take at least a month to develop their gorgeous flavor, now is the perfect time to make my Preserved Lemons recipe and to start thinking about slow cooking lamb stews, couscous, and Tagines this autumn.
Ingredients in Preserved Lemons
- Lemons and Lemon Juice: Give the lemons a good scrub prior to slicing them and packing them in the jar. You need to ensure they are free from any dirt or possible pesticides.
- Salt: Acts as a preservative and flavors the lemons
- Black Peppercorns: Add a nice subtle hint of spice to the lemons
Here is my Recipe:
Moroccan Preserved Lemon
Ingredients
- 3-5 Lemons Quartered
- 3-5 Tablespoons Salt
- 10-12 Whole Black Peppercorns
- 2 Lemons Juice Only
Instructions
- Wash and scrub the lemons
- Cut lemons into quarters lengthwise, remove stems and as many seeds as possible
- Pack Lemons tightly into a sealable jar, as lemons vary in size follow this formula: 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon of salt, 2-3 black peppercorns, repeat with each layer to distribute the salt evenly until the jar is tightly packed
- Once the jar is full, squeeze additional lemons to completely fill the jar with juice, cover and shake the jar gently to displace air bubbles, add additional juice if needed
- Tighten the lid and refrigerate for at least a month
Bearspirit
How long will preserved lemons keep after they’re ready to use?
Steven
Great question! I have never actually had any preserved lemons go bad, I use them before they have a chance. From what I’ve read by reputable sources, as long as they are submerged in the brine, preserved lemons will last around 1 year. And based on the fact that they are submerged in really strong salt and acid brine, it wouldn’t surprise me if they lasted longer. But just to be on the safe side, keep the preserved lemons submerged and start over with a new batch after one year.
Kathy
Can the lemons be kept without refrigeration?
Steven
Hi Kathy, great question. To be perfectly honest, I don’t know. Although, people have been making preserved lemons for hundreds of years. I keep mine in the refrigerator, and I would recommend keeping your preserved lemons refrigerated as well. Just to be safe. If I find out good quality information about this, I will update my comment. Thanks again, Steven.