How to Zest a Lemon? Lemon and other citrus zest can be found in a variety of recipes, including baked products, cold desserts, sauces, soups, drinks, and more. Lemon zest looks best on the rims of cocktail glasses, often formed into a lovely curl. It gives fresh citrus taste and scent without any tartness, and because it’s not a wet ingredient (like lemon juice), you may use it in almost any recipe without changing texture or consistency substantially.
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Lemons, limes, and oranges, as well as grapefruit and other citrus fruits, are all excellent for zesting. Any citrus fruit can be zested in the same way, and it can be done with or without specific equipment.
Prior to Zest
Look for high-quality lemons, limes, oranges, or other citrus fruits to zest. The fruit should be plump, vibrant, and free of blemishes. Buy locally at a farmers market for the greatest results because the fruit is often unwaxed, providing more zest. How to Zest a Lemon Organic fruit is frequently waxed, but only natural, organic wax is used. Although all wax used on fruit is safe to eat, some people understandably wish to limit their consumption.
If you want to remove the wax before zesting the lemons, place them in a strainer and pour over a quart of boiling hot water. Scrub each one under running water with a cleaning brush (such as a vegetable or potato brush). Allow to dry before zesting as directed. Even if you’re not removing the wax, wash and dry the fruit before you begin.
If your recipe calls for both zest and juice, make sure to zest first. A whole orange is considerably easier to zest than squeezed bits.
Using a Grater to Zest
If your recipe calls for grated zest, the most straightforward technique is to use a grater. You’ll usually want very small pieces of lemon zest, so a Microplane grater comes in handy. How to Zest a Lemon Many box graters have a side with very small holes that can be utilized as well.
To prevent white pith and capture more zest, run the fruit along the grater (away from you on a Microplane grater, downward on a box grater) and spin it slightly each time.
Using a Zester to Zest
Zesters are little culinary tools with a metal head and a row of small circular holes at the end. They are meant to produce long, thin bits of zest when the perforations are ran along a lemon.
Grip the zester with your dominant hand and the lemon with your other. Place the zester so that the metal head bends towards the fruit and the holes run parallel. How to Zest a Lemon With the zester, press gently into the peel and pull towards you so that the zest pushes through the perforations, leaving the pith behind.
How to Zest an Orange with a Peeler or a Knife
If you don’t have a grater or a zester, you can zest fruit with a vegetable peeler or a paring knife. Any peeler, including a Y peeler, will work. If your recipe calls for strips of peel, such as for garnishing cocktails or infusing liquids and then discarding, this is the finest alternative.
With your dominant hand, hold the peeler, and your other hand, the lemon. Press the peeler blade into the skin, but not so deeply that it captures the pith. How to Zest a Lemon Peel away from you while avoiding your knuckles or fingers, resulting in a strip of peel. The same technique can be performed with a small, sharp paring knife; just be careful not to nick yourself. Scrape away any pith with a knife.
If you’re using this approach and your recipe calls for grated zest, finely chop the zest using a knife.
Keeping the Pith at Bay
The peel of citrus fruit is divided into two parts: the rind, which is the colored surface from which the zest is extracted, and the pith. The pith is the white, cottony material that clings to the fruit just beneath the rind. Pith has a bitter flavor and should be avoided as much as possible while zesting fruit.
When zesting a lemon, spin it frequently to avoid the pith. Your goal is to remove only the colorful outer layer, which is thin in comparison to the pith. How to Zest a Lemon Key limes, for example, have an extremely thin rind and should be zested gently.
If you removed the rind using a knife or peeler, there’s a strong possibility you left some pith behind. Scrape off as much pith as you can using a paring knife.
Zest Storage and Freezing
Lemon zest and other citrus zest have a limited shelf life. For the most vibrant flavor, zest only what you need as you need it.
Freezing grated lemon zest is the next best option. It will only last a few weeks before the quality begins to deteriorate. It should be noted that while it will still have the desired flavor, it will lack the vivid color.
Citrus zest can also be dried and stored for a longer period of time. Spread it out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and leave it to dry at room temperature until all of the moisture has disappeared and it feels totally dry and brittle (the timing will vary depending on the size of the zest). Keep it in an airtight container. Dried zest can be used in baking or to flavor sugar.
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