February 4, 2021

How to Make Preserved Kumquats

Got a couple pints of kumquats, just sitting in your refrigerator with no plans to use them? Try making yourself a batch of preserved kumquats! They’re salty, citrus, floral, umami, complex goodness, ready to add depth to all sorts of dishes. They’re basically the fruitier caper you never knew you needed- but you do definitely need them! They only take two ingredients, a few minutes of active time, and then a bunch of patience as you wait for your kumquats to preserve. But once they’re ready, you’ll be throwing them on everything, from hummus to stews, bloody Marys and salads.

Skip the Post, Click for a Print-Friendly Recipe

What are Preserved Kumquats?

These preserved kumquats are basically a play on preserved lemons. Preserved lemons are common in Northern Africa, especially Morocco, and India. They’re a sort of pickled lemon, where a combination of salt and the lemon’s own acidic juice creates a brine to preserve the rinds into a salty, umami, tart, lemony burst of flavor. These preserved kumquats are basically the same, except instead of being hit by a burst of lemon flavor, it’s the sweeter, more floral kumquat that is highlighted. You can use the pulp in stews, add a little of the fermented pickle brine in a bloody Mary, and use the rinds in anything you think would benefit from a complex burst of savory citrus goodness. Just make sure you’re using it in dishes where the salt works as well- my favorite use of the preserved kumquats so far was in a tofu dish. I marinated my tofu in soy sauce and a little preserved kumquat brine, pan-fried it in sesame oil, and topped it with chopped preserved kumquat rinds and scallions. Ah-maze-ing.

Looking for other Great Vegan Condiments and Such? Try one of these!

How to Make Preserved Kumquats

Preserved kumquats take a lot of time, but not a lot of work. The only ingredients you’re going to need are kumquats and salt. You’ll also want a knife, a mason jar, and ideally a weight- I use fermentation weights like these ones. Once you have all your ingredients and tools, it’s time to get started. Chop the kumquats in half, and toss them in some salt to lightly cover them. Put the halves in the jar, pressing them down so juice is released. Continue, pressing them in firmly each time and sprinkling salt between the layers. As you do this, the salt combined with you pressing them into the jar should release the juice in the kumquats and create a brine. Once the jar is mostly full, add your weight to the top. The brine should cover all the kumquats- if not, add a small amount of water to do so. Cover it with a lid, and leave it on the counter for at least three weeks- some people do closer to three months. As long as your kumquats remain submerged in the brine, they’ll be safe to eat. After your done fermenting them, move them over to the fridge and start eating!

How to Make Preserved Kumquats

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 1 quart preserved kumquats

How to Make Preserved Kumquats

Ingredients

Around 40 kumquats
¼ cup fine ground sea salt

Instructions

Sanitize a quart-sized mason jar with boiling water. Chop your kumquats in half, and toss them in some of the salt. Place a layer of the kumquats, cut side down, inside the jar. Sprinkle with a little salt, and add the next layer of kumquats, pressing down firmly. Repeat, until all the kumquats are in the jar. Use a weight to weigh down the kumquats, until they are all submerged in the juice/brine. If you need to add a tablespoon of water to do so, that’s fine.
Cover the kumquats with a lid, and place on the counter. Leave at room temperature for 3-4 weeks, giving the jar a little shake every day or so. After the 3-4 weeks, move to the fridge. Use the rinds how you would use preserved lemons- I’ve used mine to flavor hummus, to top a sauteed tofu, and to add to grain-based salads.

https://veryveganval.com/2021/02/04/how-to-make-preserved-kumquats/

Click for a Print-Friendly Recipe