11 Tips To Preserve Lemon For a Long Time | Natural Methods | No Additives

Today we are going to talk about lemon! We are going to share how we preserve all parts of lemon at home, without waste and without additives. Those who have a lemon tree and don't know what to do with so many lemons, or those who are gifted with several kilos of lemons by someone in the family who also doesn't know what to do with them, will surely benefit a lot from this post. At the end of the post we also have our educational video where we show the step-by-step process for each preservation method.

When nature gifts us with abundance, creativity must be used! Our lemon tree is always generous and we don't like to waste our organic lemons, so we preserve them in every way we can think of. One must also remember that lemon is one of the anti-inflammatory foods and deserves much care when preserving it.

There are various methods of preserving lemon that include additives such as salt, sugar, seasonings, etc. However, because we like preservation methods, without additives, that preserve the taste of vegetables, we will show you how we preserve all parts of lemon in the most natural way possible. 

IMPORTANT: We can't emphasize enough that the lemon peel should only be consumed if the lemon is organic. For store-bought lemons or lemons from conventional farming, it is highly inadvisable to consume the peel!

#1 Preserving Whole Fresh Lemons

In this method, we put the whole lemons in freezer bags, which we remove the air from with a pump. You can find these bags here. By removing the air from the lemons we are inhibiting oxidation, thus prolonging their shelf life. The lemons can then be kept fresh in the refrigerator and used au naturel for up to 6 months. It is important to put a label with a date to remind of the validity.

To use, simply remove the amount of lemons needed for each recipe and reseal the bag, removing the air.

#2 Preserving the Peel (in slices)

Using a fruit peeler, we remove the peel all around the lemon. This is done carefully, removing only the yellow part in very thin slices, leaving the white part intact. The peels can be placed in boxes or freezer bags and stored in the freezer. It's okay to store them all together because, even frozen, they separate easily.

The peels can then be used to make lemon tea, flavored waters, decorate candies, and make macerations.

#3 Preserving the Peel (in zest)

The zest can be obtained in two ways. The traditional way is to use a zester. The other way is to remove the peels with a fruit peeler and grind the slices in a food processor. This second way is faster and more effective, also leaving the white part of the lemon intact. We flatten the zest in a freezer bag and then remove the air from it to take up less space in the freezer. The bag should be flattened so that it is easy to break/remove only the amount needed at a time.

The zest can then be used in various types of cooking, candies, ice cream, and even natural soap!

#4 Preserving the Juice

To make the juice, simply use a juicer. We put the juice into ice cube molds and put them in the freezer. After freezing, we pass the cubes into freezer bags, remove the air, and put them back in the freezer.

The cubed juice can then be used to make lemonade, flavored waters, cooking, and even other curious things like natural hair removal wax and natural bee food!

#5 Preserving the Pulp

After squeezing the juice, there is always pulp left. The pulp can also be frozen in molds, small or large, depending on what you are going to use it for. 

Both the clean pulp and that pulp that still contains seeds can be preserved for later use in various ways, such as making lemon soap, filling cakes and doing other creative cooking.

#6 Preserving the Mesocarp - white part (in gel)

Many people throw away the mesocarp, because they think it has no use...but it does! Mesocarp is rich in iron, magnesium, calcium, and zinc. Its gel texture contains soluble fibers that decrease appetite and contribute to satiety, thus helping with weight loss. Contrary to popular belief, its flavor is actually quite pleasant and much less acidic than the peel.

To preserve the mesocarp in gel, we cut the white parts into small pieces and put them in the food processor until they become zest. Then we put the zest into a strainer bag and squeeze. This task is time consuming and requires hand strength. We place the gel in a glass jar and store in the refrigerator. It can be stored up to two weeks.

Mesocarp gel can be used as a natural thickener for jams and other sweets and can also be eaten by the spoonful...but only a little bit at a time!

#7 Preserving the Mesocarp - white part (in zest)

The mesocarp can also be stored in zest to be processed later. It can be frozen in individual portions, in larger molds or in flattened freezer bags, so that it's easy to break and remove just the necessary doses for each use.

The shredded mesocarp can then be used to make gel, fill cakes, and even mix into yogurt.

#8 Preserving All Parts (peel + white part + pulp)

To preserve all parts: peel (epicarp), white part (mesocarp) and pulp (endocarp), we cut the lemons into small pieces and put them in the food processor until they are all well shredded with a kind of paste-like consistency. We then put it in individual portions in large molds, freeze it, transfer it to freezer bags, and keep in the freezer again.

Preserving all parts of lemon is particularly useful for making natural lemon soap or lemon dishwashing detergent. This mixture can also be squeezed into a strainer bag to use in any recipe that requires lemon pulp or juice.

#9 Preserving in Slices (frozen)

Another way to preserve lemon is to slice it, removing the seeds. The seeds can then be used to germinate and grow new lemon trees. We store the slices in boxes and keep them in the freezer. We do not recommend storing in freezer bags as the slices will stick together too tightly and it may be difficult to separate without breaking them.

The slices can then be used to make flavored waters and decorate drinks.

#10 Preserving in Slices (dehydrated)

For this method of preservation, we cut very thin the slices. We remove the seeds, place the slices on the oven rack, and leave them in the oven for about 5 hours at 80°C. The dehydration time will always depend on the efficiency of the oven. Once dehydrated, we store the slices in an airtight jar so that they remain well dried and no moisture can enter.

The dehydrated lemon slices are so beautiful that they can be used to decorate candies and other baked goods, as well as be consumed directly.

#11 Preservation in Powder

After dehydration, the slices can also be reduced to powder. We grind the slices in a coffee grinder and then use a sieve to make the powder very fine. This task should be repeated until everything is processed. We store the powder in an airtight jar. When kept well dried the powder can be stored for more than a year.

Lemon powder is quite versatile and can then be used to sprinkle various types of cooking and desserts. 

And this is how we preserve lemon at home! We are sure you will find our tips very useful! 

Take a look at our video where we show the step-by-step instructions for each of these preservation methods. If you haven't subscribed to our Youtube channel yet, take the opportunity to do so if you don't want to miss a thing!

VIDEO - 11 Tips To Preserve Lemon For a Long Time | Natural Methods | No Additives