Try this Versatile and Flavorful Fermented Honey with Meyer Lemons

Combine fragrant Meyer lemons and raw honey into a syrup-y concoction that makes a sweet addition to your table. Use this basic lemon honey recipe for everything from iced tea to making a delightful vinaigrette!

Contributed by Devon Young in March 2019; this post has been updated.

Lemon fermented honey is an excellent way to nourish your body. The lemon fermented honey is a real treat when prepared with raw, preferably local honey. I harvested just under three gallons of beautiful honey from our own hives this last year. Although extracting the honey was a sticky, messy task, the reward was doubly sweet knowing that the glistening jars of amber were filled with the goodness collected from the wildflowers, trees, and berries around our property.

• Naturally fermented foods recipes are host to the original probiotic and promote a healthy digestive system.
• Meyer lemons (and all citrus fruit) are a great source of natural vitamin C which boosts the immune system.

The Marvelous Meyer Lemon

I have always had a great fondness for the bright citrus-y notes of lemon. This ole girl prefers a nice glass of lemonade over a canned soda any day of the week. There is hardly a more refreshing flavor than lemon. But when I finally discovered Meyer lemons – all bets were off. A lemon-ier lemon, if there were such a thing.

While most folks are familiar with the common grocery store lemon varieties Eureka or Lisbon (both Citrus limon), the Meyer lemon is actually a lemon and mandarin hybrid (Citrus x meyerii).

The Meyer lemon is notably sweeter and less acidic than common lemons, while also sporting darker and more vibrant peel and flesh. The internal layer of pith can be relatively thin compared to other types of lemons, making it less bitter and easier to squeeze by hand.

Meyer lemons are generously fragrant and even just a handful of the sunny beauties can perfume a kitchen with their clean citrus and faintly floral aroma. Like their more common citrus siblings, the Meyer lemon is brimming with vitamin C, a powerful immune booster and cell protector that may help to reduce the intensity and severity of the common cold and flu.

Ingredients 

Honey — It is very important to use raw, unpasteurized honey in this recipe. A host of beneficial bacteria and yeast lay dormant in raw honey due to its high osmotic pressure environment. As the honey loosens and thins in this recipe due to the presence of the lemons, it starts to ferment, developing a beneficial microbial environment that is good for the gut and general health.

Meyer lemons — Traditionally only available from December through May, you might not find these in the produce section of the supermarket. Instead, farmers markets or a friend’s backyard tree. Regular lemons can be used of course, but this recipe is at its best with the use of Meyer lemons.

The Fermentation Process

Lacto-fermentation is the process used here. Lactobacillus bacteria converts sugars into lactic acid. This good bacteria inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. The lactobacillus organisms that develop when fermenting food preserves it, but it’s also a boon to our digestive tract. This lactic acid fermentation provides us with the probiotics that we’ve heard so much about in recent years.

To get started fermenting honey with lemons, pour a small amount of honey in the bottom of a jar. Alternate layers of lemons with honey until the jar is filled.

Use a skewer to lightly stir the lemons and remove air pockets. Place the jar on the counter at room temperature and stir or invert the jar to coat the lemon slices twice daily for 5-10 days.

Related: Preserve the Harvest with Salted Citrus

Using Lemon Fermented Honey

• We find that a spoonful of this lemon fermented honey can soothe a sore throat.
• A tablespoon or so of the lemon honey (complete with lemon slices) combined with a cup of water just off the boil makes for a delightful cup of tea. Add a splash of whiskey to the lemon honey tea and you have just fixed yourself a super hot toddy. 
• This honey pairs well with a brewed cup of ginger tea.
• Drizzle this honey over a these buttermilk biscuits or these scones.
• Whisk some into a sweet and tangy vinaigrette.

★ Did you make this lemon fermented honey? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! ★

Easy Lemon Fermented Honey

Lemon fermented honey is an excellent way to nourish your health with complex probiotics and the powerful antioxidant vitamin C. 

4.57 from 39 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Fermentation time: 7 days days

Total Time: 7 days days 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 32 servings

Author: Devon Young

Ingredients

• 3 - 4 Meyer lemons sliced thinly with as many seeds removed as possible
• 1 - 1 ½ cups raw honey to cover

Instructions

• Pour a small amount of honey in the bottom of a clean jar.
  1 - 1 ½ cups raw honey
• Alternate layers of a few sliced lemons and more honey until the jar is filled. Use a spoon or a skewer to gently stir and remove air pockets.
  3 - 4 Meyer lemons
• Start fermentation by loosely placing a lid on the jar and setting it at room temperature. This lemon honey recipe ferments best with some oxygen exposure.
• Stir gently to coat the lemon slices with honey at least twice daily, for 5-10 days over which time the honey will thin and may start to bubble slightly.
• This lemon fermented honey is finished when you like the flavor – these is no set end point. When you are happy with the flavor, store your lemon honey in the refrigerator. Discard if signs of mold appear.

Notes

• If Meyer lemons are unavailable, common lemons may be substituted.
• Discard honey if signs of mold appear.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.02g | Saturated Fat: 0.002g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.005g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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