19 January, 2023
Lemon Simple Syrup
Always to start, scrub and since your lemons, we don’t want anything contaminating that flavor. Next we simply squeeze or juice our lemons. I used a nylon strainer to get the seeds out, and since I didn’t have a juicer I squeezed them by hand and used a wood spoon to press more juice out. Not perfect, but it worked very well.
Since I was canning this syrup I prepared my half pint jars by making sure they were clean, and then placing them in the oven at 225 degrees to begin warming. I boiled my lids for 5 minutes as well to get them nice and hot, and filled my water bath canner to begin heating the water. Since I was making half pints I only filled my pot about halfway.
From 8 pounds of lemons I had about 4 cups of juice, my kitchen smelled wonderful. I added my fresh squeeze juice to a medium sized pot, and added equal parts sugar to the juice, and turned the heat to medium. I stirred my delicious concoction pretty consistently to dissolve the sugar and keep it from burning, allowing it to just reach a boil before turning it off.
Using a canning funnel I filled my now hot jars with hot syrup, allowing for 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar. Wipe your rims with a paper towel dipped in vinegar, and put one of your nice hot lids on by carefully lifting it out of the water with a lid lifter, add your ring and tighten, you’re ready for the water bath!
If your water bath water is near boiling, remove the lid and add your jars, always be careful and use the appropriate tools! A canning jar lifter is an essential tool for the kitchen.
After placing your jars in their steaming bath, replace the lid and wait for your water to return to a good rolling boil, once boiling set your timer for 10 minutes for your jars to process. Due to the acidity of the lemons and the amount of sugar, the Ph of this syrup is low enough that only a water bath is needed to seal your jars. Other foods do require a pressure canner, but typically syrup, jams and jellies and high acidic items such as tomatoes are fine in a water bath.
After your 10 minutes is up, shut off your burner and lift your canner to the side. I like to let my jars rest for about 5 minutes before I lift them out of the bath and set them on a towel on the counter to cool. And wait for your pings! That wonderful sound that says your jars have sealed and will be able to sit in your pantry waiting for use. I wait 24 hours to remove rings, label and put my jars away. Let them cool in a draft free area and try not to move them around.
That’s it! Simple. The great thing is that this recipe can be used for many other types of simple syrups.
How to use Simple Syrup?
- Sweeten and flavor your tea
- Sweeten your baked goods
- Caramelize your vegetables
- Add to your fruit salads
- Marinade
- Flavor a sweet and sour sauce
I’d love to hear how you use your simple syrup!
Simple Lemon Syrup
Equipment
- 1 Water bath canner Any pot large enough to submerge your jars and allow an additional 1 inch of water on the top of the jars will work as a water bath. Be sure to have a lid that fits to hold your heat in.
- 1 Lid lifter
- 1 Jar lifter
- Half Pint Jars
- Nylon strainer
- Large bowl
- Medium pot
- Fresh Lemons
- Sugar
Ingredients
- 8 lbs Lemons
- Sugar
Instructions
- Start by scrubbing and washing your lemons. I soak in a light vinegar bath to remove the wax that is sometimes on them.
- Grab your water bath canner and fill about halfway if making half pints. Set on stove and turn on your burner to begin warming the water.
- Put your clean jars in the oven, turn to 225.
- Put your canning lids in a small pan of water and boil for 5 minutes.
- Cut the lemons in half, and squeeze over a large measuring cup to juice, make sure you enlist someone with a firm grip to help! You want every drop of juice.
- Make sure you note how much juice you get, you'll need equal parts sugar.
- Using a nylon strainer, pour your juice from the bowl into your pot through the strainer to remove seeds and large pulp.
- Measure out equal parts sugar to your juice, and add to the pot, stir, stir, stir to dissolve. Turn your burner onto medium and allow to heat through, to just a boil.
- Using a jar lifter, carefully remove a hot jar from the oven and place securely on counter. Begin filling jars using a canning funnel. Make sure to only add enough syrup to allow for 1 inch of headspace.
- Wipe your rims! Dab a paper towel in vinegar and wipe around the rim of each jar, then put a hot lid on using a lid lifter. Screw on your rings till finger tight.
- If your canner is nice and hot begin adding your jars with a jar lifter to the hot water. Be careful! Set them in gently to avoid splashing.
- Once all your jars are in replace the lid and wait for the water to begin to boil. You want a full rolling boil. After it has begun to boil set your timer for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes is up, shut off burner, remove pot from burner and let stand for 5 minutes before removing jars. Again using jar lifter, place very hot jars on a towel on the counter and allow them to cool.