Yuzu is a very precious fruit especially when you live outside of Japan as they are rare and expensive. The zest and juice of yuzu have a wonderful aroma and flavor, and we love using them in Japanese cooking. After juicing yuzu, don't throw the peels. Here's how to store and enjoy yuzu zest.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Freezing Time1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr15 minutesmins
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: yuzu
Servings: 1batch
Calories: 241kcal
Author: Namiko Chen
Ingredients
yuzu peels
Instructions
Gather yuzu peels. The preparation time and yield vary based on how many peels you have. Cut the peels into a smaller size (roughly a quarter of the fruit).
Use a sharp knife to gently scrape off the thick white pith that may not have come off with the peel.
You want to scrape off any slivers of pith. The peel without pith is zest.
The zest is very thin without pith.
For some recipes, I like to keep a bigger-sized zest. To flash freeze, place the zest on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 30-60 minutes, then transfer the frozen zest into a bag and keep in the freezer.
Cut the zest into thin julienned strips.
Put the julienned yuzu zest in a resealable plastic bag and freeze the bag flat on a baking sheet.
After 30-60 minutes, the zest is frozen. You can break off the zest for your recipe. You do not need to thaw the zest prior to use.
To Store
Store it in the freezer for a month. I tend to keep it for half a year at least. It’s possible that the zest looses its fragrance and flavor, but it still brings a lot to a dish when needed.