Meyer Lemon Infused Tequila
Ok, so now that you have bought Meyer Lemon to make the Meyer Lemon Rye Whiskey Sour cocktails from our last recipe - you now want to take your Meyer lemon and make some infused tequila.
I love infused liquors. The first time I did this was in college for an elective class where our final was to make a liqueur - pretty fun. Now, whenever I have a small amount of liquor left in a bottle, and something leftover from a previous recipe... the rind of a Meyer lemon i this case - I infuse it. Because why not!?
Infusions can take a variable amount of time to actually infuse and you CAN over-infuse things. So when it comes down to trying new flavors, try it at 24 hrs, then 48 hrs, and ask yourself between the stages did it make a difference?
For citrus, you want to keep it to less than 5 days total in my opinion. Limoncello typically steeps longer, but it's a different sort of thing. So don't think all infusions are equal.
For some infusions even 24 hours is PLENTY. In this case a 48-72 hour window is about right. You want the lemon oil to extract, but not get bitter or perfume-y.
Meyer Lemon Tequila Infusion
INGREDIENTS
- One Meyer Lemon Peel
- 3/4 Cup Tequila
- Small Glass Jar
- Fine Mesh Strainer
Instructions
Start by peeling your Meyer lemon incredibly carefully. If you feel comfortable enough with your chef knife, remove any white pith left. If you aren't as comfortable with a knife (or maybe need to cool it with your knife confidence - ahem ... ME), a sharp peeler is fine. I included photos above of the backside of the peel so you can see how little white pith is left. This is what makes your infusion BITTER so make sure you get as little as possible.
For every 3/4 cup of hard liquor - add the peel of one Meyer lemon. Add liquor and peel to a glass jar. Be sure to fill up your jar as much as possible. You might need to add more lemon peel/liquor if you only have large jars. Just note you probably don't need more than a cup of infused liquor in your life at a time, unless there's a party involved, lol.
Remember your infusion can be with ANYTHING btw, not just tequila - more of a rum or vodka person, try it - even gin works well!
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WAIT... about 48 hours minimum. If you CAN try 72 hours. When done, use a fine mesh strainer or another straining method that removes small particles. Once strained your liquor will last longer, however I suspect it won't last hours...
Enjoy!