I make several batches of this each year to give to friends and family during Christmas or as a host gift. This is my go-to recipe for limoncello, and I’ve also made a delicious version using Satsuma mandarins. These adorable bottles from World Market are perfect for gift bottles. To make the limoncello, I use wide-mouth 128oz Ball jars with push-on lids. The recipe comes from Magdalena Borrea, whose original was published in the Washington Post about 15 years ago. It’s a keeper.
Yields approximately 3 ¼ quarts
INGREDIENTS
15-17 large organic lemons (they MUST be organic!)
Two 750 mL bottles of Everclear (grain alcohol) or high-proof vodka
5 ½ cups water
6 cups granulated sugar
PROCEDURE
Wash and dry the lemons. With a vegetable peeler (a plastic “y” shaped peeler works best), remove only the yellow rind in strips.
Squeeze the juice from all the lemons and reserve for another use.
Place the lemon peels in a large Mason jar (4 quart size works well). Add the grain alcohol, making sure the lemon peel is completely covered. Store in a cool dark place (does not have to be refrigerated as long as it stays relatively cool), and shake the jar daily to agitate the lemon peel.
After at least two weeks, make a simple syrup by bringing the water to a bowl in a saucepan. Add the sugar and then remove the pot from the heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Cover and let cool to room temperature. Strain the contents of the Mason jar into the saucepan (use a fine mesh conical sieve) of the cooled simple syrup. Discard the lemon peels, and then transfer the liquid back to the Mason jar.
Store the jar in the fridge, covered, for at least 3 weeks, stirring or shaking every other day or so. Transfer the limoncello into smaller bottles to give as gifts or for easier storage. Store the bottles in the freezer.
