Pickled Peeled Lemons is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic method of preserving peeled lemons by salting and then baking until the salt crust is dry before storing in spiced vinegar. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Pickled Peeled Lemons.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
456. INGREDIENTS.—6 lemons, 1 lb. of fine salt; to each quart of vinegar, the same ingredients as No. 455.
Mode.—Peel the lemons, slit each one down 3 times, so as not to divide them, and rub the salt well into the divisions; place them in a pan, where they must remain for a week, turning them every other day; then put them in a Dutch oven before a clear fire until the salt has become perfectly dry; then arrange them in a jar. Pour over sufficient boiling vinegar to cover them, to which have been added the ingredients mentioned in the foregoing recipe; tie down closely, and in about 9 months they will be fit for use.
Seasonable.—The best time to make this is from November to April.
Note.—After this pickle has been made from 4 to 5 months, the liquor may be strained and bottled, and will be found an excellent lemon ketchup.
Peel the lemons then slit each one three times, lengthways, so that the three parts of the lemon are almost, but not quite, separated. Rub the salt all over the onions, ensuring you put plenty in the slits then place in a bowl, cover with any left-over salt and set aside for 1 week, turning the lemons to coat in salt every day.
At the end of the week, remove the lemons from the salt, shake of any excess then place in the base of a flame-proof casserole. Cover with a lid, place over low heat and heat until the salt crusting the lemon is completely dry. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
Now combine enough vinegar to cover the lemons with the spices (add the amount of spices given above to each 1l of vinegar), bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Pack the lemons into a clean and sterilized jar, pour over the vinegar and spice mix (ensure that the lemons are covered) then seal the jar, allow to cool and set aside to mature for at least 4 months before use.
After the lemons have pickled for 4 months you can strain the liquid from the jar — this can be used as lemon ketchup.
