Fruit
Sun-Dried LemonDrying Time, Storage and How to Use It
Lemons have a fresh, bright aroma, much of it in the peel.
Sun-dried until crisp, lemon slices become milder in acidity and can be eaten whole, peel and all. Float them in tea or sparkling water, soak them in honey, or use them to decorate cakes and cookies. They look lovely, too.
| Drying time | Storage | |
|---|---|---|
| Dry | 5 days–1 week | 4 months at room temperature |
Drying times assume drying during the day in sunny weather and bringing them in at night.
How to dry lemon
- Choose untreated lemons: You’ll eat the peel, so choose organic or unwaxed lemons that haven’t been treated with post-harvest fungicides. Many imported and conventionally grown lemons are treated after harvest.
- Wash: Scrub the peel well with a brush or sponge and pat dry.
- Slice thinly: Trim both ends and slice 2–3 mm (about ⅛ in) thick. The thinner you slice, the faster they dry and the less likely they are to fail. Pick out the seeds with a skewer.
- Lay out and dry: Spread on a basket without overlapping, somewhere sunny and breezy. The juice makes them stick to the basket, so turn them once or twice a day. Bring them in by evening.
Where and when to dry is covered in How to Dry Vegetables, and tools in Tools for Drying Vegetables.
When it’s done
Dry (5 days–1 week)
It’s done when the flesh has turned thin and almost translucent, the yellow has softened a little, and the slices snap.
Day by day
Before drying
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Storage
- Room temperature: Put completely crisp slices in a jar or bag with a desiccant, and keep somewhere cool and out of direct sun for about 4 months.
- Frozen: To keep them even longer, you can freeze them.
Light fades the color, so a container that blocks light, or a cupboard, is best. If they soften from moisture, dry them again. Fuzzy white or green growth, black spots or a bad smell mean they should be thrown away. More in How to Store Dried Vegetables.
How to use it
- In drinks: Float a slice or two in black tea, sparkling water, hot water or mulled wine.
- Soaked in honey: Put dried lemon in a jar and pour honey over it for a lemonade base to mix with hot water.
- In baking: Decorate pound cakes and tarts, or dip in chocolate. Chop and mix into cookie dough too.
- In cooking: Add to stews or oven-baked fish for aroma.
