I’ve tried kumquats and key limes. The skin on the kumquat is so thin that it became a completely different thing but was still good. The limes were closer to the texture of lemons. A jar of lemons lasts several years for me so I couldn’t justify the fridge space for the other variations.
i have pickled oranges on my counter right now. they will be a garnish for pork belly porchetta next sunday.
i do the paula wolfert "quick"method, and that does suggest turning the jar over once each day for seven days before putting in the fridge. you do need a very secure seal and tightly packed fruit that is totally covered.
I use her method for the recipe with spices. I gently turn and rotate the jar daily and have never had a problem. I use a jar with shoulders which holds the fruit in place. I usually add the juice of one extra lemon to be sure everything stays covered.
But the lemons I preserved BEFORE I started nuking them never went bad either. Salt is a preservative. Are you certain you used enough salt? I pack at leaast a full teaspoon of salt inside every lemon I preserve, then put some extra salt in the bottom of the jar before I start packing ther lemons inside the jar. Salt is what preserved the Pharoahs of ancient Egypt!
Salt is the key to preservation. If the lemons spoil there was not enough of it
Agree. Mourad Lahlou says that tap water will cause problems so the jars must be completely dry. I haven’t had any problems, other than salt corroding the wire jar clips when I turn them. He also says to keep the jars in a dark place.
Yes, I am using enough salt. My problem is mold developing when the lemons aren’t below the surface of the brining juices. I have not found jars with shoulders to be very helpful with lemon control. The best method so far is a water-filled and sealed plastic bag on top of the lemons.
Are you using whole lemons (sliced in quarters but still attached at the base)? I’ve always tightly layered them in a shouldered jar which has a gasket/bale closure and never had a problem with floating or uncovered fruit. I do add the juice of an extra lemon for insurance. I also briefly blanch the whole lemons, then roll them prior to slicing. All slicing is done over a bowl to catch the juice.
Yes, I quarter them except for a bit at the top. I pack them as tightly as I can in a glass jar. Yes, I save every bit of juice.
I’m out of ideas then…
Very creative! But there’s always the risk of the bag opening or breaking and diluting your brine. There are glass “pickling weights” that do the job as well with no risk of dilluting anything! I’ve also heard of people using large glass marbles or pebbles, the sort used by florists in clear glass vases instead of the “standard” metal frog for flower arranging. They work very well and are available in a variety of colors, just in case you keep your jar of preserved lemons on the counter top. And then the Japanese also make “pickling jars” that include a glass weight to keep things immersed for any type of pickling humans do. Here are a few amazon.com links to show you what I’m talking about. And good luck!
fermentation weights:
Japanese pickling jar:
glass pebbles:
So far so good I think on the second batch. Should know for sure after the holiday weekend. Thank you for all your help! I’ll have to try limes if I can get the lemons down.
I order organic Meyer lemons from this farm: http://www.meyerlemonsandkiwis.com. They are marvelous. Every year I make Meyer lemon marmalade and put up enough preserved lemons for the year. It is a very short season.
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Before this thread fades into history, has anyone ever tried freezing preserved lemons? Two years ago, insanity overtook me and I preserved a full half gallon of Meyer lemons. Me! The one who lives alone and entertains five times a year! After about a year, they were still “good,” but they were pretty much mush, so I just tossed them. Made the garbage disposer smell good! But I’m curious if anyone has ever tried freezing them?
It works grear for fresh lemons and limes. In this day and age when there is no telling how long citrus has been sitting in a warehuose somewhere (organic or not!), I have a frequent problem with fresh citrus shriveling up in a short time. So with fresh lemons and limes, I nuke them to make them juicier, then cut them in wedges and freeze them. They are absolutely “fresh” forever (practically) when I do that. Good for drinks, for fresh fish, lemon pie, anything you would use fresh lemons or limes for. So now I’m very curious… Anyone ever frozen preserved lemons?
Thanks!
Haven’t frozen them but they seem to keep forever in the fridge.
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You’ve seen those tall narrow kitchen “pantry” cabinets that are spice and condiment shelves open for access from both sides when pulled out, right? Well, I want about five of those, fully refrigerated, in my kitchen! I have so many condiments and such in my fridge I hardly have room for food!
I bought some organic Persian limes yesterday that I will be preserving this weekend, so an answer as to whether preserved lemons freeze okay is not a pressing question screaming for a now-or-never answer, but I am very curious whether anyone has tried it… If not, I’ll turn some of my preserved limes into guinea pigs in 3 or 4 months. 
Thanks, Caroline1. I guess it’s time to stop whining and look into different approaches.
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Just thinking about making preserved lemons . I have plenty on the tree . The OP was asking about fermentation , I am asking what’s the deal for making them . Recipe if you have one , and the does and don’ts . Thanks
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I don’t use a recipe, no surprise! Get a quart sized jar and a bunch of lemons. Pour about an 1/8-1/4 inch salt in the bottom of the jar. Cut lemons into quarters but don’t cut all the way through. Leave them hindged. Coat the inside of the lemons generously with salt and begin loading them tightly in the jar. I coat some salt to the outsides as I stuff them in the jar with enough force to generate a little juice as you go. Once filled add lemon juice to cover. It won’t hurt if you use too much salt. It will matter if you use too little. Cap the jar and store away in a cabinet and forget about them for about a month or so. If and when you check on them, just make sure they are submerged. After a month or so you should be able to use them and store in the fridge once opened. To use, pull a quarter wedge off, rinse and cut out the flesh and discard then slice or dice and use. The rind is what you’re after. Any unused lemon gets submerged back in the brine
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