Can You Freeze Lemons?

Are you able to freeze lemons? In case you’ve received a surplus, right here’s easy methods to protect this fashionable citrus fruit.

Obtained just a few contemporary lemons and need to protect them? Lemons last as long as 1 month refrigerated, so the fridge is a good way to retailer this citrus fruit. However don’t assume you need to use your lemons in time? The freezer is your subsequent greatest guess! We frequently have contemporary lemons available, for the reason that contemporary juice is so essential for recipes and cocktails (no bottled substitutes right here!). So these preservation ideas have modified the sport for us. Right here’s what to do!

Are you able to freeze lemons?

Lemons may be frozen for as much as 3 months, both complete or zested and juiced. Frozen lemon juice or zest is good for including to recipes that decision for contemporary lemon, from bars, bread, muffins, sauces, cocktails, and extra. You should use frozen lemon zest in cooked or blended dishes with out thawing it, although you’ll must defrost the juice.

Freezing lemons works for long-term storage. However in case you’re merely making an attempt to increase the lifetime of lemons for just a few weeks, there’s a simple trick: the fridge.

How lengthy are lemons good for?

Saved on the counter at room temperature, complete lemons final about 1 week. However within the fridge, they final about 1 month! Refrigerating lemons is likely one of the greatest methods to increase their life. In case you’d prefer to protect lemons past 1 month, you possibly can freeze them for 3 to 4 months.

freeze lemons

Lemons are simple to freeze, as soon as you realize just a few tips to preserving them. You’ll be able to freeze them complete or freeze them zested and juiced. In our opinion, it’s preferable to zest and juicing the lemon first so that you don’t have to take action after defrosting. However both means works! Right here’s what to know:

1. To freeze complete lemons: Place the lemons in a sealable plastic bag and place them within the freezer.
2. To freeze juice and zest: Zest the lemon and place the zest in a resealable plastic bag. Juice the lemons and place the juice in a small container or into ice dice trays (the amount of every dice in a regular tray is about 2 tablespoons). As soon as the ice cubes are frozen, switch them to a resealable plastic bag.
3. Mark the “Use by” date. Use a everlasting marker to label with a “use by” date that’s 3 months sooner or later.
4. Freeze. Place the container or bag within the freezer and freeze for as much as 3 to 4 months. For greatest outcomes, use in 3 months.

Defrosting lemons

Frozen lemon zest can be utilized proper from the freezer, however you’ll must thaw complete lemons or the juice. Right here’s what to bear in mind:

• Zest: You should use the frozen zest with out thawing.
• Juice: Defrost frozen lemon juice by putting the container within the fridge in a single day. Or place the ice cubes in a bowl and microwave for just a few second bursts at a time.
• Complete lemons: To defrost an entire lemon, place it within the fridge in a single day or for a quicker methodology, microwave the lemon in 20 second bursts till it’s thawed. To zest an entire frozen lemon, rinse it with heat water first, then dry it and zest it. Complete lemons turn into mushy after thawing, so solely use the zest and juice (not slices).

Lemon recipes

Frozen lemon zest and juice works in so many lemon recipes! Listed here are just a few methods to make use of them:

Print