When Life Gives You (Meyer) Lemons…Make Limoncello
I have been wanting to make some limoncello for a long time. I just never got around to it. Now that our limoncello Meyer lemon tree is going bananas, I’m going to give it a go. Making limoncello takes a bit of time for the flavors to develop, but it’s well worth the wait. It actually is super simple and takes very little effort. In the end, you have a tasty tipple to serve your friends or to give as gifts. A lasting reminder of your own home grown fruit. The traditional way is with lemons. But, I really do love the slightly sweeter taste of Meyer lemon, a combination of a tangerine and a lemon that’s very popular. Here’s a recipe for your own Meyer Lemon Limoncello Liqueur.
About Limoncello
Limoncello is the Italian word referring to an intensely lemon-flavored liqueur most famously associated with and produced in Sorrento, the Amalfi coast, and the island of Capri, but also very popular throughout all of Italy. Limoncello is made from lemon zest, water, alcohol, and sugar.
Generally lighter than its counterparts, limoncello isn’t sour or bitter. It’s tangy and refreshing. It’s also balanced between acidity and sweetness; while the best limoncellos don’t burn your throat, neither are they sickly sweet.
Proof and Percentage
In the United States, the modern definition of alcohol proof is twice the percentage of ABV. Alcohol Proof Example: An alcoholic beverage that is 40% ethyl alcohol by volume is referred to as being ’80 proof‘. 100-proof whiskey is 50% alcohol by volume. … Pure alcohol or absolute alcohol is 200 proof!
One of the main ingredients in Limoncello is obviously, alcohol. It used to be easy to buy 190 proof grain alcohol for this purpose. 190 proof means it’s 95% pure alcohol. There is no flavoring at all so, so the purity and high alcohol would really let the flavor of your additive, in this case, the Meyer Lemons come through. However, some states, including my state, California, have disallowed the sale of such high alcohol content. Well, that’s okay with me. My neighbor made a lot of liqueurs and just a few sips would be pretty seriously intoxicating and not in a good way, at least for the following morning. I’m happy to be lowering the alcohol level, for sure.
For this recipe, you can use Everclear or substitute vodka. The vodka version will be lower in ABV. I’m making two versions, one with Everclear 120 proof and one with Kettle One Vodka 80 proof for comparison. Hmmm, now this is getting interesting! There will be quite a difference in alcohol between my two versions and neither is being made with the old 180 proof Everclear! That means the Everclear Meyer Lemon Limoncello Liqueur I’m making will be 60% ABV and the Kettle One will be 40% ABV.
RESULTS ARE IN: The smoother taste was clearly from the vodka version. Both, quite tasty!
Enough arithmetic for now……So, let’s make some hooch, shall we? No bathtub required.
The 1 2 3 of Making Meyer Lemon Limoncello Liqueur
Wash and, using a sharp vegetable peeler, peel about 8-10 small to medium sized Meyer lemons. Make sure when peeling to use a light hand and try to get as much of the yellow skin and as little of the white pitch as possible.
Add the skins to a large jar with a very tight seal. Top with a 5th (750 ml) of the alcohol you select, either grain alcohol like Everclear or use a good variety of vodka. Close the jar or lid securely and keep in a dark, cool closet or pantry for about 30 days. You may want to check on it and give the jar a little shake very 2-3 days. (Note, this works best with a wide mouth jar, not the bottles I used because when strained, you’ll want all the peel to come out of the jar easily. These are the only bottles I had with good lids!)
After 30 days-45 days (when the peels are pale) strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer lined with muslin or several layers of cheesecloth and return the mixture to a clean glass container or bottle with a tight fitting lid.
Combine 3/4 cup of water and 3/4 cup of sugar in a small saucepan set over high heat and cook, stirring continually, until the sugar is completely dissolved, approximately 3 minutes. Once completely cool, add the sugar syrup to the steeped alcohol, and stir to combine. Set the mixture back in a dark spot for another 7 days. For a slightly less sweet version, try using only 1/2 cup each sugar and water.
Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
Meyer Lemon Limoncello can be stored in the freezer for up to a year. This is a warm weather treat, just add 2 ounces to a tall glass, add ice and top with sparkling water. Or, try my recipe for homemade sparkling Prosecco Sangria with Citrus and Limoncello. Here’s a link: https://wp.me/p9KEfL-ek
Cheers or Saluti!
Ingredients
- 8-10 Meyer lemons
- 1 750 ml bottle of 160 proof Grain Alcohol such as Everclear or substitute with 80 proof vodka
- 3/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Special equipment: Large jars or bottles with tight lids/seals
- fine mesh sieve and cheesecloth or muslin for straining
- labels for date and contents
Instructions
- Wash and peel about 8-10 small to medium sized Meyer lemons.
- Make sure when peeling to use a light hand and try to get as much of the yellow skin and as little of the white pitch as possible.
- Add the skins to a large jar with a very tight seal.
- Top with a 5th (750 ml) of the alcohol you select, either grain alcohol like Everclear or use a good variety of vodka.
- Close the jar or lid securely and keep in a dark, cool closet or pantry for about 30-45 days.
- You may want to check on it and give the jar a little shake very 2-3 days.
- After 30 days-45 days (when the peels are pale) strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer lined with muslin or several layers of cheesecloth and return the mixture to a clean glass container or bottle with a tight fitting lid.
Make a simple syrup:
- Combine 3/4 cup of water and 3/4 cup of sugar in a small saucepan set over high heat and cook, stirring continually, until the sugar is completely dissolved, approximately 3 minutes. Once completely cool, add the sugar syrup to the steeped alcohol, and stir to combine.
- Set the mixture back in a dark spot for another 7 days.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
- Meyer Lemon Limoncello can be stored in the freezer for up to a year.
- Saluti!
Karen Harris https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
