Who loves lime? We do!
They are perfect for cilantro lime grilled salmon, honey lime chicken, salsa, tacos, coconut lime shrimp, and other delicious dishes.
Let’s not forget, you can also use it for your beverages.
Aside from their incredible taste, limes also have other benefits. Limes are abundant with antioxidants and vitamin c.
Josh and Carolyn, the lovely couple who hosts the YouTube channel Homesteading Family, absolutely adore limes.
When they’re in season, Carolyn makes sure that she stocks up. Unfortunately, she can’t keep them fresh and available.
Then she found this recipe!
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“Limes don’t grow well in the far-north of Idaho,” Carolyn said in her vlog.
Then a novel gave her an idea.
One day, she realized something while reading Little Women to her kids.
There was a part in the book where the kids were so excited about the pickled lime at school.
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That’s when it hit her.
Maybe there’s a way to ferment limes.
Carolyn did her research, and she was able to find an easy and effective way to preserve or ferment limes.
Before she showed the process, she explained the difference between pickling and fermenting.
Pickling vs. fermenting
When you say pickling, it involves soaking your food items in a solution with an acidic liquid. People commonly use vinegar, and that is what gives it a sour taste.
Now, for fermentation, you don’t need to use any acidic liquid to preserve the food.
The sour taste that you get from fermented foods is from a chemical reaction from the food item’s sugars and bacteria.
Carolyn showed her fermented limes, and they changed color.
So, how do they taste?
“These fermented limes taste just as zingy as the day I bought them,” said Carolyn.
Now, here’s her secret on how she ferments her limes.
You’ll need:
- Organic limes
- An old fashioned fermenting jar or just a big wide-mouth mason jar
- High-quality salt
- Untreated water
Here are the steps:
- Sterilize your jar by submerging it into a pot of water. Slowly let it boil for around 12 minutes. Let it dry.
- Clean your limes to remove any chemicals or dirt
- In a separate container, mix four tablespoons of high-quality salt with water and stir.
According to Carolyn, you can use warm water to dissolve the salt but make sure you let it cool down before pouring it over your limes.
- Securely place your limes in the jar.
- Pour the salt and water solution into the fermenting jar.
- Make sure you submerge all the limes.
- If you’re using a fermenting jar, put some of your salt and water solution over the rim and cover. That’s it.
They will change color.
It’s normal to see some changes in your lime solution over a few days.
These changes mean the fermentation process is starting to take place.
You’ll see bubbles, and sometimes, the solution becomes cloudy. That’s normal, so don’t worry.
It’s so nice to be able to ferment or pickle foods. This way, when you need to use them, even if they are not in season, you have them stocked in your home.
See how Carolyn ferments her limes in the video below!
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