Questioning for a lot of who can freeze lemons? The excellent news is that you’d! Let me share with you my failsafe information to freezing lemons. For added bonus components, this method works correctly on utterly totally different citrus fruits akin to oranges and limes.
I hate meals waste. Are you conscious that 17% of the meals obtainable to clients – in retailers, households, and consuming areas – goes instantly into the bin? It’s a surprising statistic, notably due to slicing meals waste might also help beat native local weather change. Subsequently I’m at all times aiming to additional cut back the quantity of meals I waste.
I’ve already made large strides with this, and I now furthermore compost meals waste. Nonetheless, undoubtedly there’s nonetheless additional that I might do to assist cut back what I’m sending to compost. I at all times assume that composting should be the final word resort.
Citrus fruit, significantly, shall be exhausting to compost so it’s a fantastic suggestion to make the most of as a complete lot of it up as attainable. With this information, it is important use almost your full lemon with little or no waste.
How To Freeze Lemons
The excellent news is that throughout the case of citrus fruit, akin to lemons, you may freeze the zest and juice. What’s additional, the simplest half is that you’d freeze specific explicit particular person slices.
Isn’t that fairly revolutionary?! As an occasional gin drinker, the concept of at all times having a slice of lemon or lime helpful to garnish an impromptu gin is fairly good!
It’s not merely that although. Pretty usually after I’m cooking or baking, the recipe requires the zest of a lemon or the juice of half a lime. What used to occur to me could possibly be that the remainder of the lemon or lime would sit going off contained in the fridge.
Now this wastage isn’t any additional. Any leftover lemon goes straight into the freezer for one more day’s cooking, baking, or for use in drinks.
The one a part of a lemon I’m now disposing of is the pith. This composts fairly further effectively than after I was composting lemon peel. Let me present you strategies!
The Zest
I’ve discovered freezing lemon zest to be a terribly good methodology to cut once more meals waste. Notably so when a recipe requires the juice of a lemon nonetheless not the zest.
To freeze the zest all I do is grate the lemon pores and pores and pores and skin with a small grater. I then pop a teaspoon of zest into an ice-cube tray. Subsequent, I then add just a few drops of lemon juice to the zest.
Freezing lemons on this method signifies that it’s quite simple to return out one portion of zest if you want it. What’s additional, the addition of the juice retains the zest good and hydrated. No additional dried-up zest!
As rapidly as frozen, you may take away the cubes from the tray. You presumably can then retailer the zest cubes in a container or a bag contained in the freezer, to assist launch your ice-cube tray for additional meals waste low price motion!
I’ve tried just a few strategies of freezing lemon zest, and that is undoubtedly top-of-the-line strategies.
Some folks say to solely add the zest to a small tub contained in the freezer, nonetheless you then should chisel off some zest when it is advisable to utilize it. Portioning the zest prior to you freeze is sort of further helpful because of it helps avoid this want for chiselling!
The Juice
My hottest methodology for freezing lemon juice is as quickly as further, the ice-cube tray methodology.
In case your recipe requires the juice of half a lemon, then merely squeeze the juice out of the redundant half. Then pour the leftover juice into ice-cube tray compartments, prior to inserting the tray contained in the freezer.
For simple portioning, one ice dice is equivalent as about two teaspoons of lemon juice. Two ice cubes are roughly half a lemon.
Now I don’t can purchase these little plastic lemons/limes filled with juice and I’m not shedding any lemons! Win!
As quickly as further, as rapidly as frozen, you may pop the cubes of lemon juice in a bathe or bag and keep them contained in the freezer. This implies you don’t can purchase a wide range of ice dice trays!
Don’t neglect to zest your lemon skins too!
The Slices
Bought half a lemon or lime leftover from cooking?
Correctly, one totally different methodology to freeze lemons or limes is to chop them into skinny slices. Subsequent, place them in a Tupperware container, after which pop them contained in the freezer.
To maximise space for storing, you may add further layers of lemon slices. Merely you must positively add a layer of greaseproof paper between every layer in order that your lemons don’t persist with at the very least one one different.
It’s a terribly useful methodology to freeze citrus fruits. It means I’ve at all times acquired a slice for drinks, akin to tea, or scorching water and lemon. Or for my boozy elderflower cordial!
The Peel
Whereas lemon peel isn’t one issue you need to use in your cooking, you may freeze it and use it to make herb infused vinegar for cleansing with.
Merely place the peel in a bag contained in the freezer. Upon getting spherical three lemons value of peel you may pop the peel in a jar of white vinegar (there’s no ought to defrost the peel), and go away it to steep for on the very least a fortnight. The result’s lemon-scented vinegar that’s great for cleansing your property.
If you’ve any leftover herbs you may as correctly pop this in with the lemon peel, for a lemon and herb-scented cleansing spray. Any leftover herbs will even be frozen till you’re able to infuse the vinegar.
How Extended Can You Retailer Lemons All through the Freezer For?
Frozen lemon juice, slices, and zest shall be saved contained in the freezer for spherical six to eight months.
It’s good observe to label your tubs or baggage with what your objects are and the date on which you froze them. This helps eradicate meals waste additional, as you aren’t left scratching your head making an attempt to recollect what one issue is or how extended it’s been behind your freezer!
Can You Freeze A Full Lemon?
You’ll be questioning for a lot of who can merely skip all of those steps and simply freeze a complete lemon.
Technically talking, then sure you may freeze complete lemons. I merely personally choose to not. It is because of if you defrost the lemon it goes all cozy and squidgy.
A defrosted lemon is completely unbelievable for squeezing juice from. Nonetheless, you do lose the pliability to zest the lemon or cut back it into slices. I’d significantly zest the lemon first after which save the juice, or slice prior to freezing for drinks. Nonetheless, it’s your establish – you do no matter works greatest for you.
And that’s my remaining information to freezing lemons (and utterly totally different citrus fruits!). Definitely not let one totally different lemon go to waste behind your fridge as quickly as further!
Take a look at the remainder of my meals waste options for additional useful suggestion! I’ve acquired tons of posts, together with suggestion on freezing oat milk and freezing canned coconut milk.
Need to pin this put up for later?
Your subscription couldn’t be saved. Please attempt as quickly as further.
Your subscription has been worthwhile.