--- title: "Preserved lemon: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Preserved lemons are lemons cured in salt and their own juice until the rind is soft and mellow. A key flavor in Moroccan tagines and salads." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/preserved-lemon" --- # Preserved lemon Preserved lemons are lemons cured in salt and their own juice until the rind is soft and mellow. A key flavor in Moroccan tagines and salads. Also called Preserved lemons, Salted lemons, Citron confit. Preserved lemons are whole lemons [cured](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/cure) in salt and their own juice for several weeks. The salt softens the rind and takes away its bitterness, leaving a silky peel with a salty, floral and deep lemon taste. They are a staple of Moroccan cooking, where they flavor [tagines](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/tagine), salads and sauces. ## How to do it 1. Scrub 6 unwaxed lemons. Cut each into quarters from the top, stopping about 1 cm (½ inch) from the base so the pieces stay joined. 2. Pack about 1 tablespoon of coarse salt into each lemon. 3. Press the lemons tightly into a clean jar, squashing them so the juice runs out. 4. Top up with fresh lemon juice until they are fully covered. Close the lid. 5. Leave at room temperature for 3 to 4 weeks, turning the jar every day or two. ## How to tell it is done The rind is soft enough to cut with a spoon and has turned translucent. The juice looks cloudy and slightly thick. ## How to use it Take out a piece, rinse off the salt and scrape away the pulp. Most recipes use only the rind, chopped finely. The pulp can go into a stew, but it is very salty. * Add strips of rind to chicken and olive tagines in the last part of cooking. * Chop it into couscous, grain salads, dressings or salsa. * Stir it into yogurt with garlic and herbs as a sauce for lamb or fish. * Use it in place of fresh zest in a [gremolata](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/gremolata). ## Substitutes There is no quick way to copy the flavor. For a rough stand-in, mix finely grated [zest](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/zest) of 1 lemon with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of juice. It is sharper and brighter, so use a little less. ## How to store it Once opened, keep the jar in the fridge with the lemons under the liquid. They keep for months, up to about a year. A harmless white film can form on top. Rinse it off. Throw the jar out if you see fuzzy mold. ## Common mistakes * Forgetting to taste for salt. Add preserved lemon first and season afterwards. * Using waxed lemons, which do not cure well and taste of the coating. ## Preserved lemon recipes 1 recipe from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2018/10/Moroccan-Chicken-Tagine-300.jpg)Moroccan Chicken Taginewww.onceuponachef.com · 60 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/moroccan-chicken-tagine.html) ## Related terms * [TagineA tagine is a North African clay pot with a tall cone lid that slow-cooks stews in little liquid. It is also the name of the dish.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/tagine) * [HarissaHarissa is a hot North African chili paste with garlic, caraway and cumin. Stir it into yogurt, couscous, stews and roast vegetables for heat.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/harissa) * [Ras el hanoutRas el hanout is a warm North African spice blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger and more. Use it on lamb, chicken, couscous and tagines.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/ras-el-hanout) * [CureTo cure is to preserve meat or fish with salt, often with sugar, nitrite or smoke. It draws out water and adds flavor, as in bacon and gravlax.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/cure) * [ZestZest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, full of fragrant oils. To zest a lemon is to scrape off that layer and leave the bitter pith.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/zest) * [GremolataGremolata is an Italian mix of chopped parsley, lemon zest and garlic, scattered over food just before serving to add a fresh, sharp finish to rich dishes.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/gremolata) [More in pantry ingredients](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/pantry-ingredients)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)