These salt preserved limes let you enjoy those perfect tangy, salty and citrusy flavors all throughout the year.
As opposed to fermented citrus fruits, these preserved versions actually pack in a lot of salt, which makes them last so much longer too.
What’s more, they take just a few minutes to put together, and you’ll end up with soft, juicy limes that no longer taste bitter, even when you use the rind.
I’ve recently been trying my hands at a lot of preserved foods- my Persian pickled vegetables and and Russian pickled mushrooms were both big hits, but I really wanted to try my hands at something that had a much more powerful flavor.
And that’s when I thought about preserving limes.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
My favorite part about this recipe? You can actually replicate the same recipe with lemons too, and whip up a big batch of preserved lemons and limes to last you throughout the year.
You can then use these for your meat stuffings, in your bone broths and even in your baked goods, but more on that later.
Ingredients For the Salt Preserved Limes Recipe
You’ll need just a few simple ingredients to make preserved limes.
Lime: You’ll need to start with fresh limes. Choose ones that are firm to touch, and are ideally spotless from the outside. I like to use organic limes.
Sea salt: Sea salt is another big part of this recipe. I would recommend using the coarse variety.
Bay leaves: For some extra flavor, I added a few bay leaves too.
Pepper: I also added some whole peppercorns into the mix to give these preserved limes another layer of flavor.
Lime juice: I used a bit of extra fresh lime juice to cover the limes completely. Depending on how juicy your limes are, you may or may not need this.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Salt Preserved Limes
Rinse the limes and pat dry.
Slice the top and bottom of the limes and make an X shaped cut into them- about ¾th of the way in.
Stuff them with sea salt.
Add limes to a glass jar and add the bay leaves and black peppercorns.
Make sure you pack the limes until the jar is full, and keep pressing down as you add the limes in. Doing this will cause the limes to release their juices. You’ll need enough juice to let the limes stay submerged.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can use either Kosher salt or sea salt to stuff the limes. I wouldn’t recommend table salt.
- Another great idea is to use a combination of limes and Meyer lemons and preserve them in the same jar.
💭Top Tip
Make sure you wear gloves while packing the limes in. The idea is to keep the entire thing clean and free of any possible bacteria.
Equipment
How to Store Salt Preserved Limes
These salt preserved limes can last for months when stored in the fridge. But before you do that, you’ll need to first let the limes stay in brine at room temperature for 1 month.
Simply close the jar lid and move it to a cool and dark place, away from direct sunlight to initiate the preserving process. Your pantry should be the perfect place for this. The limes will be ready in about 30 days, and you can then move them to the refrigerator.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Make sure the limes are completely submerged at all times. You want to add some extra lime juice to do this.
- Remember to sterilize the jar before you use them to add the limes in.
- Use a wide-mouth jar to store the limes. This will make it easier for you to remove and pack in the limes.
- Based on your personal preference, you can choose to cut the limes in any shape you want. Wedges, quarters and halves are the best choice, because they give you the perfect bite-sized pieces to use.
Also Read: Oven Roasted Italian Peppers
How to Use Preserved Limes
Your salt preserved limes and lemons can be used in lots of different ways. Here are a few good ideas to get you inspired.
My favorite way to use preserved limes is to juice them up and use them for my marinades, dressings, aiolis, dips, sauces and vinaigrettes- basically anything and everything that could benefit from a bit of a tart, citrusy flavor.
I think they would taste amazing when chopped up finely and added to chimichurri, salsas and guacamole.
I also like adding them into the pan when stir-frying my favorite veggies or even some protein.
You could also sneak some of them into a homemade bone broth. The kick of vitamin C can really help extract all the nutrients from the bone and can, of course, boost the broth’s flavor too.
The salty, tangy limes can be a wonderful addition to your kebabs and grilled meats too. You can actually stuff them whole in a bird of your choice and bake it.
FAQs
You can try this salt preserve technique for practically any kind of limes- right from regular limes, key limes and even lemons.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Salt Preserved Limes
Ingredients
- 12-16 limes
- ½ cup coarse sea salt
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ white pepper
- lemon juice as needed
Instructions
- Rinse the limes and pat dry.
- Slice the top and bottom of the limes and make an X shaped cut into them- about ¾th of the way in.
- Stuff them with sea salt.
- Add limes to a glass jar and add the bay leaves and black peppercorns.
- Make sure you pack the limes until the jar is full, and keep pressing down as you add the limes in. Doing this will cause the limes to release their juices. You’ll need enough juice to let the limes stay submerged.
Notes
- Make sure the limes are completely submerged at all times. You want to add some extra lime juice to do this.
- Remember to sterilize the jar before you use them to add the limes in.
- Use a wide-mouth jar to store the limes. This will make it easier for you to remove and pack in the limes.
- Make sure you wear gloves while packing the limes in. The idea is to keep the entire thing clean and free of any possible bacteria.
Food Safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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