20+ Ways to Preserve Citrus

Lemons, Limes, Oranges, Grapefruit and More!

It’s citrus season, at least for a little while longer, and this is the best time of year to preserve those bright flavors for year-round use.

Back in the day, northern families would get together to order citrus in the winter months, getting it by the truckload for preservation. There’s a local food coop not too far from here that started around 100 years ago, with a few dozen families coming together simply to buy citrus each winter.

Now, they’re a large grocery chain, but they still sell citrus by the case each winter to honor their founders. Bringing fresh citrus in each winter has been important for generations, and there’s a reason Laura Ingalls Wilder talks about the magic of getting an orange in her stocking each year.

Citrus really can brighten the darkest part of the year, and preserving it can let you enjoy it year-round (without breaking the bank).

Home Canned Lemon Curd

A while back, I wrote a guide to preserving lemons for my sister, who was at the time buried in fresh lemons. Anyone who has a lemon tree knows just how prolific they can be.

The thing is, just about any preservation method that works for lemons also works with other citrus. Anything you can make with lemons you can also make with oranges, limes, grapefruits, tangerines…the list goes on.

Read More: 20+ Ways to Preserve Lemons (& Other Citrus)

Still, if you are looking for variety specific preservation recipes…I’ve got you covered. Here are my favorite preservation recipes for oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit and other citrus:

Oranges

• Orange Jam

• Orange Marmalade (Lower Sugar Recipe)

• Canning Orange Juice

• Dehydrating Oranges

• Canning Oranges

Lemons

• Canning Lemons (3 Ways)

• Salt Preserved Lemons (Lemon Confit)

• Canning Lemon Curd

• Dried Lemon Slices

• Limoncello (Lemon Liqueur)

• Canning Lemonade (and Lemonade Concentrate)

• Lemon Wine

Lemon Wine

Limes

• Canning Limeade (And Limeade Concentrate)

• Cherry Limeade Concentrate

• Dehydrating Limes

• Lime Marmalade

Lime Marmalade

Grapefruit

• Grapefruit Marmalade

• Canning Grapefruit Juice

• Dehydrating Grapefruit Slices

• Grapefruit Vermouth Marmalade

• Canning Grapefruit Sections

Grapefruit Marmalade

Other Citrus

• Kumquat Jam

• Candied Kumquats

• Buddhas Hand Citron Marmalade

• Candied Buddhas Hand Citron

Kumquat Jam

Things You Might Need This Week

Still need more citrus ideas?

• Growing Lemon Trees from Seed

• Homemade Citrus Seed Pectin (For Canning)

Citrus seeds in cheesecloth for making homemade pectin

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Things I’m Loving

• This pantry tour by Little Mountain Ranch is a food preserver’s dream come true!

• If you’re missing those bright fruits this time of year, Tropical Fruit Box has some great options for brightening up your table. We do homegrown as much as possible, but we’ve got a few winter birthdays in the household that we celebrate with extra special treats like these.

What are you harvesting, preserving, building, or exploring on your homestead this week? I’d love to hear about it!

Leave me a note in the comments…

Until Next Time,

Ashley at Practical Self Reliance