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1
Soak the lemons in cold water overnight, weighing them down with a plate or plastic bag filled with water.
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2
Drain and dry the lemons with a towel.
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3
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat (the pot needs to be deep enough so the water covers the 1-quart jar).
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4
Place the clean, wide-mouth quart jar, band, and lid in the water and lower the heat to a simmer.
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5
Simmer for 10 minutes, then turn the heat off, leaving the jar in the water until ready to use.
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6
Remove the band and lid and dry with a clean towel; set aside.
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7
Working over a medium bowl, take 7 of the lemons and make 4 equally spaced lengthwise slits in each, starting about 1/2 inch below the stem and ending about 1/2 inch above the base.
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8
Cut through the skin, stopping at the center of the lemon.
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9
Squeeze each lemon gently from top to bottom so the slits pop open, then sprinkle the interior with 1 heaping tablespoon of the salt, making sure the salt gets into the center.
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10
Let any excess salt or lemon juice fall into the bowl.
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11
Remove the jar from the pot and shake out any excess water; set aside.
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12
Add the remaining salt and the spices to the bowl and stir to combine.
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13
Drop some of the salt-spice mixture into the jar and add the lemons one at a time, compacting each with a wooden spoon until it releases its juice and is packed very tightly.
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14
Alternate layers of the salt-spice mixture and lemons, adding all of the mixture and stopping when you reach the shoulder of the jar.
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15
If the lemons are not completely covered with their own juices, squeeze the juice from the 3 remaining lemons and pour it into the jar.
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16
Seal the jar and place it in a warm, bright spot.
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17
Once a day for the first week, shake the jar and carefully open it over the sink to let out any excess gas.
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18
After the first week, the fermentation will slow and youll only need to shake and burp the jar once every 7 days.
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19
After about a month, the liquid will clear and the lemons will be ready to use.
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20
They will keep for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.
