285484 Sat May 27 15:45:34 -0700 2006 28 36 Spirits 0 1528874 I am going to make Limoncello from a recipe in the most recent Saveur. It calls for the peel to infuse for 48 hours with a pure grain alcohol. My 3 questions are: 1. Does 48 hours seem like a long enough infusion period? 2. Can one use a vodka instead of pure grain? 3. Do you have a good recipe? Thanks and Happy Weekend. Sat May 27 15:45:34 -0700 2006 0 Petra 1 1528877 1. Seems a bit short, but the infusion period can vary depending on how you peel your lemons and the strength of the liquor. You can monitor your infusion and see the yellow get pulled out as you go. And of course try to remove all the white pith as it will add bitterness. 2-3. Yes but try to find 100 proof vodka which will suck those lemon flavors out better. My limoncello was made with lemon zest infused in 100 proof smirnoff (all I could find) + 1 bottle of the cheapest bottle of 80 proof vodka at BevMo that was still pretending to be a premium product plus ~ 2 cups of simple syrup. You will have to double check my recipe and calculate for the booze you buy but you are looking for 30%-32% alcohol in the final product. Cheers Sat May 27 16:52:16 -0700 2006 1528874 0 Nathan P. 1 1528886 48 hours seems like a ridiculously short time to me. We infuse ours for weeks, and all of the recipes I can find say several weeks as well. If you can't get Everclear where you live, get the highest proof vodka you can find. Sat May 27 18:45:35 -0700 2006 1528874 0 KathyR 1 1528894 The late actor Vincent Schiavelli in his wonderful memoir/cookbook "Many Beautiful Things" has a recipe for Limoncello on pg.251 Essentially he uses Everclear and lets the peel macerate at least 4 days.[* he recommends using some green(unripe)lemons along with the ripe yellow ones-from unwaxed fruit].He then dilutes this with a lite simple syrup(2 parts sugar to 3 parts water) to the desired strength(68 proof).He then stores,and serves,straight from the freezer. I haven't tried it yet,but now you got me thinking about doing it! Sat May 27 20:38:16 -0700 2006 1528874 0 JC_JOE 1 1528897 I did a lot of research before making my first batch of limoncello and the consensus was don't use grain/Everclear. 100 proof vodka makes a much smoother limoncello. I am posting the recipe I use below. I let it sit for 40 days and then add the simple syrup and the other bottle of vodka and let it sit for another 40 days. It is absolutely the best and I am told not to come to certain social gatherings without it! (FYI, I have used regular lemons, oranges and Meyer lemons. In my opinion the regular lemons make the best!) 15 lemons* 2 (750 ml) 100-proof vodka** 4 cups sugar 5 cups water * Choose thick-skinned lemons because they are easier to zest. ** Use 100-proof vodka, which has less flavor than a lower proof one. Also the high alcohol level will ensure that the limoncello will not turn to ice in the freezer. Wash the lemons with a vegetable brush and hot water to remove any reside of pesticides or wax; pat the lemons dry. Carefully zest the lemons with a zester or vegetable peeler so there is no white pith on the peel. NOTE: Use only the outer part of the rind. The pith, the white part underneath the rind, is too bitter and would spoil your limoncello. Check out my web page on How to Zest. Step One: In a large glass jar (1-gallon jar), add one bottle of vodka; add the lemon zest as it is zested. Cover the jar and let sit at room temperature for at least (10) ten days and up to (40) days in a cool dark place. The longer it rests, the better the taste will be. (There is no need to stir - all you have to do is wait.) As the limoncello sits, the vodka slowly take on the flavor and rich yellow color of the lemon zest. Step Two: In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and water; cook until thickened, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Let the syrup cool before adding it to the Limoncello mixture. Add to the Limoncello mixture from Step One. Add the additional bottle of vodka. Allow to rest for another 10 to 40 days. Step Three: After the rest period, strain and bottle: discarding the lemon zest. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve. Sat May 27 21:22:19 -0700 2006 1528874 0 Susan 2 1528922 The fact is, Italians make limoncello using grain alcohol. I'm glad that your limoncello turns out so well, but after years of making limoncello, plumcello, etc., and discussing it with many people who make their own infused liquors, I have found no such consensus on not using Everclear. Absolutely the opposite. If you can get Everclear, it works wonderfully. I feel limoncello should have a little bit of a kick to it, and I think the flavor is more complex if one uses very high proof liquor. Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/06/AR2005120600253.html Sun May 28 09:59:51 -0700 2006 1528897 0 KathyR 3 1529565 I agree. I made it from a recipe in Gourmet (I believe). When looking around Los Angeles for 100% alcohol, I was told we cannot get anything higher than a 51 or 71 or something here, and the next best thing to use is Grain Alcohol = Everclear. I made it and it came out good (strong, but good). I still have a bottle in the freezer! Thu Jun 01 16:20:26 -0700 2006 1528922 0 WildSwede 1 1529011 Strange that I just read this post, the morning after I was looking through an older cookbook, The Flavours of Puglia, and there is a recipe in that book and here it is: About 1 1/2 quarts 8 large lemons, preferably organic 1 bottle (4/5 quart) 100 proof vodka 3 cups spring water 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar Zest the lemons. (If not organic, scrub well to remove residues, the dry well) Put the rinds and the vodka in large glass jars, screw down lids, and set aside in a cool place (not refrigerator) for 1 week Strain and discard rinds Make a simple syrup with spring water and sugar. Cool to room temp. and mix with strained vodka. Bottle in 2 pint containers and seal for 24 hrs. Then refrigerate. This recipe comes from a restaurant in Lecce. I think it may be regional (as are all things in Italy) as to what alcohol one uses. I was planning on trying this one out. Mon May 29 06:24:31 -0700 2006 1528874 0 fai jay (fai jackson) 1 2911316 I have a recipe that is reportedly a family secret from a woman who hails from Sorrento, Italy, home of the greatest Limoncello. It does call for grain alcohol but after my first batch which tasted suspiciously of cheap tequila, i switched to any other vodka. In addition to soaking with lemon rinds for 10 days, I usually squeeze three full lemons in for added citrus. The last batch I made proves this point as no other batch has had such a good balance between sweet, tart, and booze. If you'd like the recipe, let me know. Its not really much of a secret. Tue Sep 04 21:39:14 -0700 2007 1528874 124366 mokow 2 2911335 Would love to have the recipe, please post. Thanks in advance. Tue Sep 04 21:47:48 -0700 2007 2911316 62097 paprkutr 3 3076963 I've been making limoncello for about 2 years now and everyone loves it. I have a simple recipe that has never failed. one 750ml of vodka ( I use monopolowa but have also experimented with cheaper ones and haven't been able to taste the difference ) zest of 8 lemons.. you can do them in strips or a micro grater for more lemon flavor and to extract more of the essential oils. one cup of water and one cup of sugar... cook down until only one cup of liquid remains. let the vodka/zest mixture sit for one week... then strain off the zest, mix the syrup, decant into bottles ( I reuse wine bottles or liquor bottles with the artificial corks )... put into freezer until cold.. then enjoy!! If you use too much syrup, the mixture will freeze a bit... you can mitigate this by using a higher proof alcohol.. but I and my friends prefer it with 80 proof vodka, which gives us just the right amount of kick. I have also done the same thing with fennel seed from my garden this year, and the results were incredible!!! Mon Oct 29 12:04:44 -0700 2007 2911335 138499 todd149084 1 3801345 I just finished my first batch of limoncello, and I am not pleased. I used the zest of 8 lemons, 750ml of 100-proof vodka and soaked for 10 days. But it's not as lemony as I want it. What does it need? A higher lemon/vodka ratio? More time? The recipe I used also required that you let the mixture set for three weeks after removing the lemon zest and mixing in the sugar syrup, which I did, although it seems kind of useless. What would be the point of such a step? Sat Jun 21 20:01:32 -0700 2008 1528874 102571 mordacity 2 3805845 My recipe, which I love dearly is as follows: 1.75 L of Everclear 10 - 14 Citrus Fruits (I use 9 Lemons, 3 Oranges, 2 Limes) 7.5 Cups Water 7.5 Cups Sugar 1) Zest Citrus Fruits 2) Marinate Zest in Everclear for 1 week 3) Strain Everclear 4) Combine Sugar and Water to make simple syrup 5) Combine Syrup and Infused Everclear 6) Bottle + Enjoy I think the orange and lime zest add a lot to the flavor profile, but you could of course use only lemons if you so desire. A note of caution, this is pretty powerful stuff (~80 proof) so drink in moderation. Mon Jun 23 12:39:58 -0700 2008 3801345 185532 ShadowedOne 3 3811060 One note I should add is that I use a mico-plane grater to zest the citrus fruits. This assures that only the zest is removed and none of the bitter white pith. Also since the zest pieces are so fine the infusion takes place very rapidly. Tue Jun 24 19:40:15 -0700 2008 3805845 185532 ShadowedOne 4 4250292 Hi ShadowedOne, If I use a microplane to zest, do I strain with cheesecloth? Or will a fine mesh strainer work by itself? Tue Dec 16 06:33:23 -0800 2008 3811060 222134 melanie1128 5 4251969 I would do both. First use the cheesecloth then the fine mesh Tue Dec 16 15:39:29 -0800 2008 4250292 13330 quazi 5 4254454 I usually only use a fine mesh strainer. There are sometimes very small bits of zest left over. You could certainly double strain through both fine mesh and cheese cloth if the micro particle bother you. Wed Dec 17 12:44:51 -0800 2008 4250292 185532 ShadowedOne 6 4271308 Thanks very much! I put it together last night using the microplane. Now, I wait.... Wed Dec 24 09:27:44 -0800 2008 4254454 222134 melanie1128 7 4373592 It turned out great! I only had to use the fine mesh strainer. No micro particles at all. Fri Jan 30 13:03:50 -0800 2009 4271308 222134 melanie1128 2 3808800 I would let it sit on the zest longer and I usually use twelve or more lemons. The recipe I have gotten on this board and egullet comes to zest 12-20 lemons and zest of I lime in 100 proof for 45 days. shake jar every day. strain and mix with 80 proof vodka sit for 45 more days. I usually add the simple syrup as I make a drink. Patience is the key. Tue Jun 24 09:32:58 -0700 2008 3801345 13330 quazi 2 4034075 My ratio is more like 15 lemons per 750 ml vodka. I also let the mixture rest for at least 4 weeks before straining off the zest. Sometimes I split and scrape a vanilla bean before dropping the whole business into the mixture. Sun Sep 14 11:28:22 -0700 2008 3801345 110331 sazall 3 5175186 i'm making my annual batch of limoncello and thinking about using Demerara Cane Sugar for the simple syrup. i know the color will change, what about the flavor? anyone tried this? Thu Nov 12 06:38:59 -0800 2009 4034075 1123896 jmturri 1 3849071 I let it steep for a couple of weeks and always use vodka. I also always use meyer lemons for an extra nice and special taste. Tue Jul 08 11:36:21 -0700 2008 1528874 48769 18465 1 4251858 My wife and I really enjoy Limoncello. I think I need to try and make some for us ourselves. How do you do the zesting? Best regards, tony Tue Dec 16 15:07:43 -0800 2008 1528874 92263 aea6574 2 4336285 When making limoncello, would quality of the alcohol matter? Can I just find whatever is cheapest and still produce something worthwhile? Sun Jan 18 08:16:41 -0800 2009 4251858 80499 mrpotato 3 4338538 I liken this to the question about what kind of wine to cook with. Since the alcohol you choose will become the base for you limoncello I would strongly suggest getting something you'd be willing to drink on its own (unless of course you're going the everclear route). Basically if your base spirit doesn't taste good it's not going to produce a limoncello that tastes very good. Mon Jan 19 08:35:53 -0800 2009 4336285 185532 ShadowedOne 4 4355692 I have a question re: bacteria. I have been making limoncello. I have now steeped my rinds for nearly 2 months in 80 proof vodka and have had them in a dark place, covered with a tight sheet of saran wrap- the new sticky kind so it is sealed to the glass pitcher. The rinds have paled and I think I am ready for the sugar syrup.. But recently I was listening to the splendid table radio show and they were talking about making kind of a fruit liquor( hunks of peaches etc. steeped in alcohol for a long time) and how it can get bacteria/botulism if the jar is not sealed while steeping. I am sure a bit of air leaked into my pitcher at some point with just the saran wrap on top. Is this an issue in the making of limocello too- in all the recipes/info I viewed I did not see it mentioned. Do I need to start over? Thank you. Sun Jan 25 08:40:02 -0800 2009 4338538 260319 indeliblepress 5 4356446 Ethyl alcohol isn't very friendly to bacteria, I'm not personally too worried about stuff growing in 40%. Sun Jan 25 13:36:17 -0800 2009 4355692 254579 Soybomb 6 4361022 thanks- i guess that's true. we'll give it a shot ( yikes- bad pun) and hopefully you will hear from us again! Tue Jan 27 00:03:10 -0800 2009 4356446 260319 indeliblepress