How to Preserve Lemon Juice

If you have a lot of lemon juice and don’t know what to do, try preserving it for later use. When stored properly, lemon juice will remain good quality until you need to use it. Freezing in an ice cube tray is easiest, but canning is also a good option if you have a lot of lime juice. Either way, you have fresh lime juice to enjoy all year round!

Table of Contents

Frozen lemon juice

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/87/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-1-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice- Step-1-Version-2.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/87/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-1-Version-2.jpg/ v4-728px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-1-Version-2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Pour lemon juice into the ice cube tray. Carefully pour the lemon juice into the ice cube tray until it is almost full. Remember not to overfill the tray, as the lemon juice will expand a bit as it freezes. ^{[1] X Research Source}

When you freeze lemon juice into ice cubes, you will easily get the amount needed in the recipe.
If you want, you can also divide the lemon juice into portions to see exactly how much each is. For example, you can measure 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice to pour into each cell in the tray. ^{[2] X Research Source}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/1/13/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-2-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice- Step-2-Version-2.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/13/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-2-Version-2.jpg/ v4-728px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-2-Version-2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Place the ice cube tray in the freezer overnight or until the lemon juice is frozen. This may take a few hours. The best way to make sure the ice cubes are completely frozen is to leave the ice tray in the freezer for 8 hours or overnight. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If you try to remove the unfrozen ice cubes from the tray, they will break and the unfrozen lemon juice may spill.

Remove the ice cubes from the tray when they have solidified. Bend the ice tray so it curves up in the center of the tray. If the stones do not pop out right away, you can turn them slightly; Twist to one side and then back to the other. You will hear the ice cubes separate from the tray as they loosen. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

If there are some ice cubes that have loosened but some are still stuck in the tray, just empty the loose ones first, then turn the ice tray again.

Place the ice cubes in a zippered plastic bag. To release the ice tray, it is best to remove all the ice cubes and put them in another container. Zippered plastic bags are the best because you can open them up to get as much as you need and store the rest in the freezer. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

You can also use a hard-walled container to store ice cubes in the freezer, as long as the lid is tight.

Label the plastic bags and put them in the freezer. To make sure you don’t forget the frozen lemon juice, you can use a marker to write the frozen date on the bag. If you plan to freeze other juices in the future, you may want to add “Lemon juice” on the label so you don’t forget what’s in the bag. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Frozen lime juice used within 3-4 months has the best flavor, but you can still store it for at least 6 months. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/d/d9/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-6-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice- Step-6-Version-2.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d9/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-6-Version-2.jpg/ v4-728px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-6-Version-2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Defrost lemon juice or add frozen lemon juice cubes to ingredients. When you want to add a fresh lemon flavor to your drink or dish, you can take a few capsules from the bag. If you want to add cold drinks or ingredients that will be heated, you can add ice cubes right away without defrosting. If you prefer liquid lemon juice, place the ice cubes in a bowl in the fridge to melt overnight. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Tip: Try dropping some frozen lemon juice into a glass of water or iced tea for the perfect summer day refreshment! ^{[9] X Research Source}

Canned fresh lemon juice

Sterilize several 280 ml glass vials. You can put the glass jars and lids in the dishwasher and run the sterilizer mode, or boil the jars for 10 minutes in a can or large pot. Lemon juice can go bad if there is bacteria in the jar. ^{[10] X Research Source}

You will need a 280 ml vial for each cup (240 ml) of lemon juice you want to canned. ^{[11] X Research Source}
Be sure to use canning jars with lids and seals to ensure a tight seal.
If you want, you can leave the jar in hot water until you’re ready to pour in the lime juice.

Tip: If you live at an altitude above 300 meters, boil for 1 more minute for every 300 meters higher.

Pour lemon juice into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil lemon juice over medium heat for about 5 minutes. This step will help the jars to heat up faster in the canning pot, and will also help prevent breakage from submerging the cold jars in boiling water. ^{[12] X Research Source}

If you don’t like having lemon cloves in the juice, strain before boiling.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/1/11/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-9-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice- Step-9-Version-2.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/11/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-9-Version-2.jpg/ v4-728px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-9-Version-2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Fill the can half full with water and bring to a boil. The easiest way to canned lemon juice is in a canning pot. ^{[13] X Research Source} However, if you don’t have a canning pot, you can use a casserole with a bottom rack. Fill the pot half full with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. ^{[14] X Trusted Source National Center for Home Food Preservation Go to Source}

If you’re using a casserole, it’s important not to let the jar touch the bottom of the pot; Glass jars can break if you let them touch the bottom of the pot.

Pour lemon juice into the jar and cover. Make sure the jar is nearly full, as the air in the jar can damage the lemon juice. However, the lemon juice can expand during the sterilization process, and the pressure can explode the vial, so you need to leave a gap of 0.5 cm from the mouth of the jar. ^{[15] X Research Source}

To close the vial, put the cap on the top of the jar and screw it tight.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/89/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-11-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice- Step-11-Version-2.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/89/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-11-Version-2.jpg/ v4-728px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-11-Version-2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Place each jar in the boiling water in the canning pot. If you have a jar tongs, clip it around the neck of the jar, then put it in the pot. If you don’t have tongs, you can use a towel or pot lifter to line your hands, but be careful not to let the cloth touch the hot water or you’ll get burned. Either way, you need to put it in the pot slowly so that the water does not splash on the body causing burns. ^{[16] X Trusted Source National Center for Home Food Preservation Go to Source}

The jar tongs are a fairly inexpensive tool that you can buy at any store that sells canning pots. This tool looks like a regular tongs, but it is designed to hold round vials firmly.
If the canning pot has a stand with a handle, place the jars on the rack, then hold the handle to let the rack into the pot, but be careful not to burn yourself. ^{[17] X Research Source}
After being put in the pot, the lemon juice jars must be submerged under water about 2.5 – 5 cm. If not, add hot water.

Cover the pot and process the lemon juice jars for 15 minutes. The water in the pot will continue to boil for 15 minutes. This will help seal the jar to keep the lemon juice in the jar fresh. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

After 15 minutes, you will turn off the heat and wait for the water to stop boiling before moving on to the next step.

Carefully remove the jars of lemon juice from the water and let it cool. Once the jars have been treated and the water has stopped boiling, use tongs to remove the jars from the pot. The jar and lid in the pot will get very hot, so be careful not to burn yourself. Place the lemon juice jars in a draft-free place and at least 5cm apart to prevent breakage when cool. ^{[19] X Trusted Source National Center for Home Food Preservation Go to source}

The jars of lemon juice will take several hours to cool completely.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/d/d6/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-14-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice- Step-14-Version-2.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d6/Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-14-Version-2.jpg/ v4-728px-Preserve-Lemon-Juice-Step-14-Version-2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Label the vials and store in a cool, dry place. Mark the date and “Lemon juice” on the lid of each jar so you don’t forget what was in the jar and when it was boxed. Then, store the jars of lemon juice in a place that is rarely touched, such as in the kitchen cupboard. ^{[20] X Trusted Source National Center for Home Food Preservation Go to Source}

If properly pasteurized and sealed, lemon juice can stay good for 12-18 months.
To make sure the jars are sealed, try pressing down on the bulge in the center of the lid. If you hear a small pop or the lid sinks and then swells up, it’s not closed. In this case, store the jar of lemon juice in the refrigerator and use it for 4-7 days.

Things you need

Frozen

Ice cube tray
Zippered nylon bag
Markers
Freezer

Boxed

Canning pot or large casserole with a stand
280 ml vials with caps and washers
Pot tongs or pot lifters

Advice

If you have lemon juice that you don’t want to store, store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Steps