Lemons are a staple of any long-term survival diet, because they provide us with an excellent source of nutrition. They also are a key ingredient in a lot of home remedies and homemade cleaning products as well. Canning them for long-term storage gives you the ability to keep a permanent supply on hand, especially if fresh ones are not available or you can’t take advantage of refrigeration. Let’s look at a couple of different options that you can use to be able to preserve them as long as possible.
Salt Preserving
This is one of the easiest ways to store lemons over the medium-term, but this method requires some time to cure before eating. All you need to do is butterfly the lemons into quarters by cutting them from top to bottom, but make sure to leave the bottom intact so the pieces remain connected. Next, place them in a large bowl and coat the openings with a very generous layer of salt. Toss the lemons in the bowl and add more salt as necessary to ensure that they are all evenly coated. Cover the bowl with some foil or plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
You will notice that there is a lot of water in the bowl when you pull it out of the refrigerator as the salt draws out the liquid. Transfer the liquid, salt as well as lemons into a mason jar with a clasped airtight lid. Press down on the lemons firmly until they are completely submerged under the liquid and clamp down the lid. Store the jar in a cool, dark place for at least a month to allow the lemons to ferment and cure. Keep in mind, the longer you cure the lemons, the more potent, concentrated and flavorful the juices will be, and the options are limitless as to what you can do with them.
Canning
You can also preserve lemons by making a jelly and processing them with a water bath canner. While this won’t give you pure juice, it will still allow you to enjoy the essence and nutrition that lemons provide. Take 2 ½ cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice and place it in a large bowl. Next, take the seeds and wrap them tightly in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it up.
Mix the sugar and pectin thoroughly in a saucepan or stockpot. Add in the lemon juice and bundle of seeds. Place on your stove and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring continually until the pectin and sugar has completely dissolved. Keep stirring occasionally as some of the water begins to evaporate and the remaining liquid starts to thicken. Take a thermometer and keep cooking and stirring until the temperature reaches 220 degrees.
At the same time, take three ½ pint jars and their lid assemblies in simmering water. You can also scale up or down this recipe to produce enough product to fill larger jars or to make bigger batches. Just keep in mind that the jelly will need to be consumed immediately or refrigerated after opening, so using smaller jars may be a more practical solution in order to reduce waste.
Once the liquid has been heated and thickened, carefully pour it into the heated canning jars and fill until the level in each jar is the same. Wipe down the rims and attach the lid assemblies. Tighten and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove the jars from heat and allow them to cool to room temperature. Check the seals on the lids and jars for defects before labeling and dating them. Place the jars in a cool, dry and dark location until ready for use. Try to rotate out the jelly every six months in order to get the most nutritional value and enjoy maximum freshness.
Try these methods out for yourself and see how they can be the perfect solution to ensure that you have a limitless supply of the essence of lemons on hand. These are great options to take advantage of in case you lose power or don’t have access to refrigeration during a long-term survival situation. Not only that, but both options can also enhance your running food stockpile now and in the near future as well.
