I have just marinated my chicken in some preserved lemon which has been in the fridge for 2 years.. will it kill me? haha it smelled good - i never opened it in 2 years..
Your preserved lemons are fine from what you have shared. You would see mold activity if they went bad. Smell and taste would tell you if they were bad. Preserved lemons, lemon salt, frozen lemon peel, frozen lemon juice made in ice cube trays…. In my opinion is #1 … right at the top of keeping for flavor in cooking and baking. (Right behind it, would be basil salt….)
No, they do not require refrigeration. I have been making Paula Wolfert's recipe for years. She wrote the definitive book of Moroccan cooking. I have never refrigerated mine and I use them over several months. During the curing process, the jar should be shaken every day for a month. I don't weight them down, I use 1/4 c salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice. I don't use sugar. Spices include whole cloves, cardamom, peppercorns and a cinnamon stick.
I would point out that they are, after all, preserved. All the salt and sugar, not to mention the acidity of the lemons themselves, would pretty much prevent any dangerous bacteria from moving in. If kept submerged in the liquid, they should keep for the better part of a year, especially in refrigerated. They originated at a time when refrigeration was non-existent, as a means of preserving the lemon harvest from one season to the next. The Moroccan friend who taught me to make them told me they were not even worth trying to eat until they were at least 2-3 months old. I have a batch now that is near perfect, and they are almost 6 months old. About the only bacteria that can possibly stand growing in them would be the salt tolerant sort normally desired for fermentation, and they really tend to prevent anything else moving in. As long as you have clean and sensible kitchen habits, keep them submerged in the brine, and refrigerated, your preserved lemons will quite easily last a year. Probably longer, but I couldn't say because mine never last that long before they are eaten.
Yes they need to stay submerged, you can weight them down with a small plate or bowl or even a ziplock bag full of water. They will last easily six months, need to stay in the fridge.
I've never tried to see how long they last, but I've had a jar for about 2 months before I finished it, and it tasted fine. I see no reason why it couldn't sit longer. I do keep the lemon submerged though, if there's not enough lemon juice to completely cover the slices, I pour a some olive oil on top.
This recipe that popped in the sidebar when I was looking up the one I use says the lemons are good for up to a year, in the fridge. https://food52.com/recipes/40356-preserved-lemons
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you if they were bad. Preserved lemons, lemon salt, frozen lemon peel, frozen lemon juice made in ice cube trays…. In my opinion is #1 … right at the top of keeping for flavor in cooking and baking. (Right behind it, would be basil salt….)
They will last easily six months, need to stay in the fridge.