Have Lemons? Make Limoncello!
I have mentioned that I can make delicious limoncello, so thought I would share the recipe with you. If you have lemons, make limoncello! This makes a lovely gift.
You’ll need to gather a few essentials:
- 15-20 Lemons, clean and with nice plump skins. They are best fresh from the tree, but if you buy them in the market, be sure to scrub off the wax. The skins should smell like lemons, don’t buy them if they don’t.
- 2 (750ml) bottles of 80-proof vodka. Buy vodka that you will want to drink. I like Grey Goose. The better the vodka, the smoother your limoncello will be. You may choose to use Everclear, but be prepared for the harshness, and please don’t blame the recipe.
- 2 cups of water
- 2 cups of sugar
- You will need a large (2 – 3 liter) glass jar with a tight sealed lid. Wash it in very hot water or sterilize in the dishwasher. Mine was made in Italy, and I believe I found it at the Container Store.
- You will also need the bottles for the finished liqueur. I use empty Grolsch beer bottles, much to the delight of my husband. We buy a couple of four-packs and he enjoys the brew, then I sterilize the bottles. You can find these types of bottles from the Container Store or Cost Plus. You can even use bigger bottles, but we prefer to keep it to the 16oz bottles for storing and gifting.
Step 1: Prep and steep the lemons
- Wash and dry the lemons. Pare off any ugly spots, stems, and ends.
- Remove the peel from the lemons with a paring knife, sharp peeler, or a zester, carefully avoiding the bitter white pith. If you choose to peel your lemons, please be aware that any white pith remaining will make your limoncello bitter. You must peel or scrape off all the white pith. This is the method we use. I don’t like having to strain the very fine zest, and I feel we get more of the oils when using bigger strips of peel. However, this method does take a bit more time.
- Place peels in the glass jar and add the vodka. Leave at least two inches below the top of the jar, and seal tightly.
- Place the jar in a cool, dark place until the peels lose their color, a minimum of 2 weeks. We leave ours for at least 2 to 3 months. We like it extra lemony. Every couple of weeks, swirl the peels around in the jar to mix up the oils in the alcohol.
Step 2: Add in the simple syrup
- Place the water and sugar in a saucepan. Simmer and stir until all the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear. Remove from heat, and cool.
- Pour the cooled syrup into the jar with the lemons. If your jar isn’t large enough, you may need to divide the blend into two jars.
- Put the jars back in the pantry for at least two more weeks. Longer is fine, too. Again, we typically don’t worry about how long. If we’re travelling, all the better.
Step 3: Time to strain and bottle
- Strain the lemon peels through cheesecloth, or a coffee filter. Press down on the remaining lemon peels to remove all the vodka and the oils that you can from the peels before disposing them. Pour the limoncello into another container.
- Stir the liquid with a clean plastic or wooden spoon.
- You may choose to use a funnel, or a pitcher to pour the liqueur into clean bottles. Seal them tightly and leave the finished bottles for at least 1 week before drinking.
If you have lemons, make Limoncello!
We love drinking ours ice cold. You may store in the freezer, or in the fridge once the bottle is opened. It’s delicious straight, or you may use it in cocktails. It makes amazing lemon drop martinis. We also love it with Pellegrino and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
I prefer to use Eureka lemons for the more intense lemon flavor, but Meyer lemons will work as well. Their skins are thinner, and the lemons are smaller so you may want to add a few extra lemons. If you can find Sorrento lemons, all the better! If your Eureka lemons are huge, you could use fewer. That’s why the variation in number of lemons. Just use what you have, and you’ll love the results. If you’re using fewer lemons, keep the vodka on the peel longer, etc. It’s not an exact science.
Enjoy!
