I found these two recipes, for preserving lemons, in Gourmet.

<http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1990s/1999/12/preservedmeyerlemons>
<http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/05/preservedlemons>


They are different than other recipes I have seen... like the one in the
Ball Complete book for instance. These call for some oil to be added
after the jars have stood for 5 days. Has anyone done lemons like this?
Is it safe? I don't understand the process.

Isabella
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot

On Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:37:26 -0500, Isabella Woodhouse
> wrote:

>
>I found these two recipes, for preserving lemons, in Gourmet.
>
><http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1990s/1999/12/preservedmeyerlemons>
><http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/05/preservedlemons>
>
>
>They are different than other recipes I have seen... like the one in the
>Ball Complete book for instance. These call for some oil to be added
>after the jars have stood for 5 days. Has anyone done lemons like this?
>Is it safe? I don't understand the process.
>
>Isabella

i've done preserved lemons several times, and always stored them in
the fridge. never used oil, just salt and lemons.

"Isabella Woodhouse" > wrote in message
...
>
> I found these two recipes, for preserving lemons, in Gourmet.
>
> <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1990s/1999/12/preservedmeyerlemons>
> <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/05/preservedlemons>
>
>
> They are different than other recipes I have seen... like the one in the
> Ball Complete book for instance. These call for some oil to be added
> after the jars have stood for 5 days. Has anyone done lemons like this?
> Is it safe? I don't understand the process.
>

My guess is that it's okay because they're kept in the refrigerator. They're
not preserved in the sense that they have been processed in a boiling water
bath canner with sealed lids to sit on a pantry shelf.

-Marilyn
whose been away from r.f.p. for much too long

In article >,
"Marilyn" > wrote:

> "Isabella Woodhouse" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > I found these two recipes, for preserving lemons, in Gourmet.
> >
> > <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1990s/1999/12/preservedmeyerlemons>
> > <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/05/preservedlemons>
> >
> > They are different than other recipes I have seen... like the one in the
> > Ball Complete book for instance. These call for some oil to be added
> > after the jars have stood for 5 days. Has anyone done lemons like this?
> > Is it safe? I don't understand the process.
>
> My guess is that it's okay because they're kept in the refrigerator. They're
> not preserved in the sense that they have been processed in a boiling water
> bath canner with sealed lids to sit on a pantry shelf.
>
> -Marilyn
> whose been away from r.f.p. for much too long

Thanks And I see a 'Welcome back' is in order too.

Isabella
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot

"Isabella Woodhouse" > wrote in message
...
>
> I found these two recipes, for preserving lemons, in Gourmet.
>
> <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1990s/1999/12/preservedmeyerlemons>
> <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/05/preservedlemons>
>
>
> They are different than other recipes I have seen... like the one in the
> Ball Complete book for instance. These call for some oil to be added
> after the jars have stood for 5 days. Has anyone done lemons like this?
> Is it safe? I don't understand the process.
>
> Isabella
> --
> "I will show you fear in a handful of dust"

Joy of Pickling has a similar Moroccan recipe that I successfully made with
both lemons and limes. It did not use oil. One did not have to refrigerate
it. I just kept them on the counter. They did fine. The tremendous amount of
salt makes them a salty condiment, but prevents anything growing, or should.
The limes (the big thickskinned Persian type), faded a bit in coloring,
but oh, the perfume! The lemons were nothing but bEutiful. And tasty. I used
mason jars & the plastic storage caps one can buy. Only they do not fit
perfectly with all that salt about, so when you turn them over ever few
days, it pays to have the jars sitting in a pretty bowl to catch the drip. I
believe salt is corrosive to metal lids, eh? They lasted a long, long time.
I used them up before the year was over. If you use pint mason jars, use
regular tops so you can wedge a wedge of fruit to keep them submerged.
We used to have a correspondent from (Hawaii?) the tropics who made this
by setting the jar on his roof in the sun.
I've made certain pickles with just a spoonful or two of oil, but with
veggies in plenty enuf vinegar (or brine) to kill germs. I've still got that
"if it's in oil, it's air tight and botulism can grow" deal going on, so I
would refrigerate if a lot of oil is used (more oil than salty juice?) But
I'm not a food scientist, just seems reasonable.
When I used this, I pulled out the middle parts (have squoze them for the
juice) and sliced the peel thinly.
m2cw.
Edrena

In article >,
"The Joneses" > wrote:

> mason jars & the plastic storage caps one can buy. Only they do not fit
> perfectly with all that salt about, so when you turn them over ever few
> days, it pays to have the jars sitting in a pretty bowl to catch the drip. I
> believe salt is corrosive to metal lids, eh? They lasted a long, long time.

> Edrena
>
How about a coupla layers of plastic wrap between the jar and the lid?
I'll bet the seal would still be good.


--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, and here's the link to my appearance
on "A Prairie Home Companion," <http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
programs/2008/08/30/>

In article
>,
Isabella Woodhouse > wrote:

> I found these two recipes, for preserving lemons, in Gourmet.
>
> <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1990s/1999/12/preservedmeyerlemons>
> <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/05/preservedlemons>
>
>
> They are different than other recipes I have seen... like the one in the
> Ball Complete book for instance. These call for some oil to be added
> after the jars have stood for 5 days. Has anyone done lemons like this?
> Is it safe? I don't understand the process.
>
> Isabella

Plenty acid, I would expect they'd be fine.

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, and here's the link to my appearance
on "A Prairie Home Companion," <http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
programs/2008/08/30/>

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "The Joneses" > wrote:
>
>> mason jars & the plastic storage caps one can buy. Only they do not fit
>> perfectly with all that salt about, so when you turn them over ever few
>> days, it pays to have the jars sitting in a pretty bowl to catch the
>> drip. I
>> believe salt is corrosive to metal lids, eh? They lasted a long, long
>> time.
>
>> Edrena
>>
> How about a coupla layers of plastic wrap between the jar and the lid?
> I'll bet the seal would still be good.
>
>
> --
> -Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ

Well, thar you go, it's why we're all here, to help each other. Sometimes, I
swear the simplest things pass me right by.
Edrena

On Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:34:39 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:

>In article >,
> "The Joneses" > wrote:
>
>> mason jars & the plastic storage caps one can buy. Only they do not fit
>> perfectly with all that salt about, so when you turn them over ever few
>> days, it pays to have the jars sitting in a pretty bowl to catch the drip. I
>> believe salt is corrosive to metal lids, eh? They lasted a long, long time.
>
>> Edrena
>>
>How about a coupla layers of plastic wrap between the jar and the lid?
>I'll bet the seal would still be good.

That's what I did, worked fine!

snow

In article >,
Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> In article
> >,
> Isabella Woodhouse > wrote:
>
> > I found these two recipes, for preserving lemons, in Gourmet.
> >
> > <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1990s/1999/12/preservedmeyerlemons>
> > <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/05/preservedlemons>
> >
> >
> > They are different than other recipes I have seen... like the one in the
> > Ball Complete book for instance. These call for some oil to be added
> > after the jars have stood for 5 days. Has anyone done lemons like this?
> > Is it safe? I don't understand the process.
> >
> > Isabella
>
> Plenty acid, I would expect they'd be fine.

Cool. Thanks!
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot

In article >,
"The Joneses" > wrote:

> "Isabella Woodhouse" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > I found these two recipes, for preserving lemons, in Gourmet.
> >
> > <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1990s/1999/12/preservedmeyerlemons>
> > <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/05/preservedlemons>
> >
> >
> > They are different than other recipes I have seen... like the one in the
> > Ball Complete book for instance. These call for some oil to be added
> > after the jars have stood for 5 days. Has anyone done lemons like this?
> > Is it safe? I don't understand the process.
> >
> > Isabella
> > --
> > "I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
>
> Joy of Pickling has a similar Moroccan recipe that I successfully made with
> both lemons and limes. It did not use oil. One did not have to refrigerate
> it. I just kept them on the counter. They did fine. The tremendous amount of
> salt makes them a salty condiment, but prevents anything growing, or should.
> The limes (the big thickskinned Persian type), faded a bit in coloring,
> but oh, the perfume! The lemons were nothing but bEutiful. And tasty. I used
> mason jars & the plastic storage caps one can buy. Only they do not fit
> perfectly with all that salt about, so when you turn them over ever few
> days, it pays to have the jars sitting in a pretty bowl to catch the drip. I
> believe salt is corrosive to metal lids, eh? They lasted a long, long time.
> I used them up before the year was over. If you use pint mason jars, use
> regular tops so you can wedge a wedge of fruit to keep them submerged.
> We used to have a correspondent from (Hawaii?) the tropics who made this
> by setting the jar on his roof in the sun.
> I've made certain pickles with just a spoonful or two of oil, but with
> veggies in plenty enuf vinegar (or brine) to kill germs. I've still got that
> "if it's in oil, it's air tight and botulism can grow" deal going on, so I
> would refrigerate if a lot of oil is used (more oil than salty juice?) But
> I'm not a food scientist, just seems reasonable.
> When I used this, I pulled out the middle parts (have squoze them for the
> juice) and sliced the peel thinly.

Oh how interesting. You zeroed right in on what bothered me the
most.... the oil... what with all the warnings about botulism. I
finally found my JOP, but mine does call for oil, though only a couple
of tablespoons. Perhaps I have a different edition. What I really wish
is that they would tell you what the heck the oil is for. I also found
my _Creative Pickling at Home_ (same hiding place as the JOP) and it has
a recipe without the oil, so I think that is the one I will use. Thanks
so much Edrena. You are always so helpful. I just love having these
extra-special-tasty items around to help liven up our meals. BTW, I was
thinking of using wide-mouth jars with those wide-mouth plastic lids.
These lemons would look so pretty in those Weck jars but, alas, you
couldn't turn them over!

Isabella
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot

On Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:16:52 -0500, Isabella Woodhouse
> wrote:

>In article >,
> "The Joneses" > wrote:
>
>> "Isabella Woodhouse" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > I found these two recipes, for preserving lemons, in Gourmet.
>> >
>> > <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1990s/1999/12/preservedmeyerlemons>
>> > <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/05/preservedlemons>
>> >
>> >
>> > They are different than other recipes I have seen... like the one in the
>> > Ball Complete book for instance. These call for some oil to be added
>> > after the jars have stood for 5 days. Has anyone done lemons like this?
>> > Is it safe? I don't understand the process.
>> >
>> > Isabella
>> > --
>> > "I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
>>
>> Joy of Pickling has a similar Moroccan recipe that I successfully made with
>> both lemons and limes. It did not use oil. One did not have to refrigerate
>> it. I just kept them on the counter. They did fine. The tremendous amount of
>> salt makes them a salty condiment, but prevents anything growing, or should.
>> The limes (the big thickskinned Persian type), faded a bit in coloring,
>> but oh, the perfume! The lemons were nothing but bEutiful. And tasty. I used
>> mason jars & the plastic storage caps one can buy. Only they do not fit
>> perfectly with all that salt about, so when you turn them over ever few
>> days, it pays to have the jars sitting in a pretty bowl to catch the drip. I
>> believe salt is corrosive to metal lids, eh? They lasted a long, long time.
>> I used them up before the year was over. If you use pint mason jars, use
>> regular tops so you can wedge a wedge of fruit to keep them submerged.
>> We used to have a correspondent from (Hawaii?) the tropics who made this
>> by setting the jar on his roof in the sun.
>> I've made certain pickles with just a spoonful or two of oil, but with
>> veggies in plenty enuf vinegar (or brine) to kill germs. I've still got that
>> "if it's in oil, it's air tight and botulism can grow" deal going on, so I
>> would refrigerate if a lot of oil is used (more oil than salty juice?) But
>> I'm not a food scientist, just seems reasonable.
>> When I used this, I pulled out the middle parts (have squoze them for the
>> juice) and sliced the peel thinly.
>
>Oh how interesting. You zeroed right in on what bothered me the
>most.... the oil... what with all the warnings about botulism. I
>finally found my JOP, but mine does call for oil, though only a couple
>of tablespoons. Perhaps I have a different edition. What I really wish
>is that they would tell you what the heck the oil is for. I also found
>my _Creative Pickling at Home_ (same hiding place as the JOP) and it has
>a recipe without the oil, so I think that is the one I will use. Thanks
>so much Edrena. You are always so helpful. I just love having these
>extra-special-tasty items around to help liven up our meals. BTW, I was
>thinking of using wide-mouth jars with those wide-mouth plastic lids.
>These lemons would look so pretty in those Weck jars but, alas, you
>couldn't turn them over!
>
>Isabella

As far as I know, the oil is simply to block air from gettting to the
lemons - it slows down oxidation. I don't think it has anything to do
with preveting botulism or other spoilage - the pH level and salt take
care of that. Lemon juice is around pH 2.6.

Remember too, that where they come from - North Africa - they're used
daily and don't really have a chance to go bad.

- Mark

This is an interesting question. I believe since Lemons have oil in
the rind, this added oil would help to save that instead of allowing
it to evaporate. FWIW, kitty

"Mark A.Meggs" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:16:52 -0500, Isabella Woodhouse
> > wrote:
>
>>In article >,
>> "The Joneses" > wrote:
>>
>>> "Isabella Woodhouse" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>> >
>>> > I found these two recipes, for preserving lemons, in Gourmet.
>>> >
>>> > <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1990s/1999/12/preservedmeyerlemons>
>>> > <http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/05/preservedlemons>
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > They are different than other recipes I have seen... like the one in
>>> > the
>>> > Ball Complete book for instance. These call for some oil to be added
>>> > after the jars have stood for 5 days. Has anyone done lemons like
>>> > this?
>>> > Is it safe? I don't understand the process.
>>> >
>>> > Isabella
>>> > --
>>> > "I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
>>>
>>> Joy of Pickling has a similar Moroccan recipe that I successfully made
>>> with
>>> both lemons and limes. It did not use oil. One did not have to
>>> refrigerate
>>> it. I just kept them on the counter. They did fine. The tremendous
>>> amount of
>>> salt makes them a salty condiment, but prevents anything growing, or
>>> should.
>>> The limes (the big thickskinned Persian type), faded a bit in
>>> coloring,
>>> but oh, the perfume! The lemons were nothing but bEutiful. And tasty. I
>>> used
>>> mason jars & the plastic storage caps one can buy. Only they do not fit
>>> perfectly with all that salt about, so when you turn them over ever few
>>> days, it pays to have the jars sitting in a pretty bowl to catch the
>>> drip. I
>>> believe salt is corrosive to metal lids, eh? They lasted a long, long
>>> time.
>>> I used them up before the year was over. If you use pint mason jars, use
>>> regular tops so you can wedge a wedge of fruit to keep them submerged.
>>> We used to have a correspondent from (Hawaii?) the tropics who made
>>> this
>>> by setting the jar on his roof in the sun.
>>> I've made certain pickles with just a spoonful or two of oil, but with
>>> veggies in plenty enuf vinegar (or brine) to kill germs. I've still got
>>> that
>>> "if it's in oil, it's air tight and botulism can grow" deal going on, so
>>> I
>>> would refrigerate if a lot of oil is used (more oil than salty juice?)
>>> But
>>> I'm not a food scientist, just seems reasonable.
>>> When I used this, I pulled out the middle parts (have squoze them for
>>> the
>>> juice) and sliced the peel thinly.
>>
>>Oh how interesting. You zeroed right in on what bothered me the
>>most.... the oil... what with all the warnings about botulism. I
>>finally found my JOP, but mine does call for oil, though only a couple
>>of tablespoons. Perhaps I have a different edition. What I really wish
>>is that they would tell you what the heck the oil is for. I also found
>>my _Creative Pickling at Home_ (same hiding place as the JOP) and it has
>>a recipe without the oil, so I think that is the one I will use. Thanks
>>so much Edrena. You are always so helpful. I just love having these
>>extra-special-tasty items around to help liven up our meals. BTW, I was
>>thinking of using wide-mouth jars with those wide-mouth plastic lids.
>>These lemons would look so pretty in those Weck jars but, alas, you
>>couldn't turn them over!
>>
>>Isabella
>
> As far as I know, the oil is simply to block air from gettting to the
> lemons - it slows down oxidation. I don't think it has anything to do
> with preveting botulism or other spoilage - the pH level and salt take
> care of that. Lemon juice is around pH 2.6.
>
> Remember too, that where they come from - North Africa - they're used
> daily and don't really have a chance to go bad.
>
> - Mark

All good sense, Mark, the pH factor would prevent botulism from growing. One
has to remember, too, that bot~~ is very common and our bodies are probably
used to some of it, 'ceptin' if y'all are diseased, oldy, or babies. Mark -
what you think about refrigeration? Even with the oil, prob. not needed for
all those reasons? It is very beautiful condiment. Maybe I did use oil, I'll
look it up in my canning journal.
Edrena

In article >,
Mark A.Meggs > wrote:

> On Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:16:52 -0500, Isabella Woodhouse
> > wrote:

> >......What I really wish
> >is that they would tell you what the heck the oil is for.

> As far as I know, the oil is simply to block air from gettting to the
> lemons - it slows down oxidation.

Ah ha! So that's why the oil. Thank you.

> ...I don't think it has anything to do
> with preveting botulism or other spoilage - the pH level and salt take
> care of that. Lemon juice is around pH 2.6.
>
> Remember too, that where they come from - North Africa - they're used
> daily and don't really have a chance to go bad.

We were worried it might help botulism to grow, not the converse.

Isabella
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot

On Thu, 2 Oct 2008 09:34:56 -0600, "The Joneses" >
wrote:

>
>"Mark A.Meggs" > wrote in message
.. .

/snip/
>
>All good sense, Mark, the pH factor would prevent botulism from growing. One
>has to remember, too, that bot~~ is very common and our bodies are probably
>used to some of it, 'ceptin' if y'all are diseased, oldy, or babies. Mark -
>what you think about refrigeration? Even with the oil, prob. not needed for
>all those reasons? It is very beautiful condiment. Maybe I did use oil, I'll
>look it up in my canning journal.
>Edrena
>

I don't think refrigeration will hurt them. I'm sure it would extend
their useful life like it does for most things.

The recipe I've used in the past is from Patricia Wells' "At Home in
Provence". It calls for 1/2 cup of olive oil and refrigeration after
the initial "ripening" time as she calls it.


2 organic lemons
1/3 cup coarse sea salt
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil (she says extra virgin, I say don't waste your
money)

Scrub the lemons well, allow to dry and cut each lemon length-wise
into 4 wedges. In a non-reactive bowl, toss lemon wedges with salt
and lemon juice.

Place in a 2-cup glass container with a non-metal lid that can be
tightly sealed. Seal the container and let the lemons ripen at room
temperature for 7 days. Shake daily to distribute the salt and lemon
juice.

To store, add olive oil to cover and refrigerate for up to 6 months.
To use, bring to room temperature.


- Mark