The kitchen is a place where various foods harmonize more or less well. With such a variety of ingredients, it can be difficult to navigate and choose the best preservation technique each time. Take tomatoes: how many of you put them in the fridge thinking you’re doing well, but should stop? The same goes for lemons, which we tend to store poorly!
Many people like to leave them on the counter in a pretty salad bowl for fruits and vegetables purchased for the occasion, but this is not the best option for your lemons. They then only harden and lose their healing properties as well as their taste as the days pass in the ambient air. In general, lemons keep much better in the refrigerator and today we explain to you the best technique for perfect preservation for longer. This is ideal if you don’t plan to use your lemons within the next five days!
What you need:
-Lemons
-A plastic bag with zip (or other closure system)
How to properly store your lemons?
1) Put your lemons in the plastic bag.
2) Remove the air as best you can and seal the bag tightly.
3) Put everything in the fridge to preserve their tender texture, their incomparable taste and their properties.
With this technique, you certainly won’t be able to keep your lemons for forever, but you can at least have a few weeks ahead of you to use them and therefore avoid waste! Indeed, this tip will maintain their humidity while preventing them from drying out. So they can easily stay fresh for 3 to 4 weeks.
How to properly store your lemons: other tips that are worth the detour!
To prolong their freshness and avoid waste, another method is to immerse whole lemons in a bowl of water and place them in the refrigerator. This allows to maintain their humidity and keep them fresh for about a month. For opened lemons, instead wrap the halves in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container before refrigerating them. They stay fresh for a few days. You can also squeeze the juice from the remaining lemons and store it in a closed container in the refrigerator. However, in either case, prompt use will be necessary.
Little extra thing: If you only need the juice, collect the zest before squeezing the lemons and freeze it in a small bag or airtight container to use in cooking later.
How to properly store your lemons: other tips that are worth the detour!
You can absolutely freeze your lemons. It is also an effective method for preserving them for a long time without losing their benefits. up to 3 to 4 months. If you use little of it, this may be useful to you. To freeze whole lemons, simply place the citrus fruits in an airtight freezer bag. You can then use them later to obtain juice once defrosted, although their texture may be affected.
Otherwise, you can also freeze wedges or slices. To do this, place them on a baking sheet without overlapping them so that they freeze individually before transferring them to a freezer bag. This will allow you to use them more easily in drinks or dishesin decoration for example. As for the juice, squeeze your lemons and pour the liquid into an ice cube tray. Once the cubes are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. This will give you one portion easy and practical to use for cooking or adding to drinks. Finally, you can also grate the zest before freezing the lemons and store it in a small container or airtight bag for your future pastries.
You can use this tip for other foods that can be stored in the freezer. With these tips and many others on our site, you will master the art of optimal food preservation. This essential skill will help you both to create tasty recipes with fresh ingredients and to put an end to food waste, which amounts to tons each year in France.