Salted Meyer Lemon Cocktail
Thomas J. Story
AuthorCuong Pham

This cocktail is a boozy take on the beloved soda chanh muôi, the salted lemonade soda found at restaurants, bakeries, and street stalls throughout Vietnam. Leave out the vodka for a refreshing drink any time of year. Salting and preserving the lemons takes three months, but that investment of time is worth it; once made, they’ll last indefinitely.

This recipe and others like it can be found in our story How the First Family of Fish Sauce Does a Holiday Feast.

How to Make It

1

To Make the Salted Lemons: Wash and dry the Meyer lemons in a colander, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the coarse salt.

2

Using your hands, rub the sea salt against the lemons. The coarse salt will act as a gentle abrasive on the lemons, removing the bitter essential oils from the skin. Scrub the lemons 30 minutes. At the end, the salt should take on a faint yellow tinge, indicating that the essential oils have been extracted from the lemon peels.

3

Transfer lemons to a colander. Rinse under running water and rub away any large salt granules, then transfer them to a large bowl of clean water. Set the lemons aside 10 minutes to remove any residual salt, then place them back into the colander and set them aside to dry completely.

4

While the lemons are drying, prepare a brine: Combine the Red Boat Salt and 3⁄4 cup water in a pot. Bring the brine to a boil, then remove the pot from the heat. Let the brine cool completely. Once the brine is cool, stir in a pinch of citric acid, if using.

5

Once the lemons are dry, pack them into a quart jar. Add the minced chiles and, optionally, the licorice root.

6

Pour the cooled brine into the jar. Place a tiny dish or ramekin inside the jar to keep the lemons submerged in the brine.

7

Cover and set aside in a cool place for at least 3 months before using.

8

To Mix the Cocktails: Add salted lemons, along with their juices, to a large glass. Add the sugar.

9

Use a pestle or spoon to muddle the lemon and sugar until the sugar dissolves.

10

Add vodka, ice cubes, and club soda. Stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

For the Salted Lemons
 1 ¼ lbs Meyer lemons
 ½ lb coarse sea salt
 ¼ cup Red Boat Salt or kosher salt
 pinch citric acid (optional)
 1 tbsp finely minced Thai chiles
 5 g sliced licorice root (optional
For the Cocktails
 ¼ cup Salted Meyer Lemons (ingredients above, recipe at right)
 3 tbsp granulated sugar
 1 fl oz vodka
 1 cup club soda

Directions

1

To Make the Salted Lemons: Wash and dry the Meyer lemons in a colander, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the coarse salt.

2

Using your hands, rub the sea salt against the lemons. The coarse salt will act as a gentle abrasive on the lemons, removing the bitter essential oils from the skin. Scrub the lemons 30 minutes. At the end, the salt should take on a faint yellow tinge, indicating that the essential oils have been extracted from the lemon peels.

3

Transfer lemons to a colander. Rinse under running water and rub away any large salt granules, then transfer them to a large bowl of clean water. Set the lemons aside 10 minutes to remove any residual salt, then place them back into the colander and set them aside to dry completely.

4

While the lemons are drying, prepare a brine: Combine the Red Boat Salt and 3⁄4 cup water in a pot. Bring the brine to a boil, then remove the pot from the heat. Let the brine cool completely. Once the brine is cool, stir in a pinch of citric acid, if using.

5

Once the lemons are dry, pack them into a quart jar. Add the minced chiles and, optionally, the licorice root.

6

Pour the cooled brine into the jar. Place a tiny dish or ramekin inside the jar to keep the lemons submerged in the brine.

7

Cover and set aside in a cool place for at least 3 months before using.

8

To Mix the Cocktails: Add salted lemons, along with their juices, to a large glass. Add the sugar.

9

Use a pestle or spoon to muddle the lemon and sugar until the sugar dissolves.

10

Add vodka, ice cubes, and club soda. Stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Salted Meyer Lemon Cocktail

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