Citrus Fix, Part 2: Freezing Zest

Well, yesterday I promised that we would take a closer look at those citrus peels, and so we will.  But not in the way you might have guessed, just yet. I have citrus quite often in the winter, and I don’t always feel like going through the process of candying all of it. But that doesn’t mean that the peels need go to waste. I zest any and all (lemon, lime, grapefruit, you name it) citrus peels that I’m not otherwise using. If I’ve no immediate need for them, I pack them into the freezer. Properly prepared, zest will keep beautifully in the freezer, retaining all of its flavor and color, and ready to use at a moment’s notice.

And I use it in all sorts of things— sauces, breads, cookies, dips—if you like citrus flavors, you will find endless ways to enjoy having zest always on hand.

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The first thing you need is empty citrus shells (thoroughly scrubbed). You can, of course, do it the other way around if you like—zest first and then use the insides.  I prefer this order for a couple of reasons.  First, the exposed pith, once the skin has been zested, is quite bitter; it will leave bitter essences on your hands and anything else it touches. I prefer to get all the sweeter parts—the juice or fruit—extracted first, so as not to have to worry about being extra careful not to get the bitter mixed in.  The other reason will become more apparent as I explain how I like to pack the zest to preserve it for use year-round in the freezer.

It’s easiest to zest into a bowl first; trying to zest directly into a small storage container will likely result in zest everywhere.  Hold the shell and zester over the bowl, and lightly scrape off just the outermost layer in quick short strokes.  Dig too deep, and you will get into the bitter pith.  If there are blemished, dried or discolored areas on the surface, just go around them. When you are finished with a peel, set it aside, but don’t throw it out—we’re not quite done with them yet!

Don’t worry if a little bit of juice drips in, but make sure that no seeds drop into the bowl (or fish them out if they do), or large chunks of pulp. When too much zest accumulates on the zester, just knock the excess down into the bowl.

Once you have finished with all the shells, scrape the zest into a small, freezer-safe container, or an ice cube tray.  A mini silicone spatula works really well for this.

Now, using a spoon or mini-spatula, gently tamp the zest down so that it is tightly packed with as little air as possible. Then, take one of the zested shells and give it a very light squeeze over the zest. Don’t apply much pressure—there will almost always be a few drops of juice, and you want to avoid the bitter.  Repeat as needed with other shells (it typically only takes a couple), until the juice has just filled in around the zest and no more.  It takes very little juice—the goal is to have just enough juice to keep air away from the zest, and too much juice will make it hard to extract the frozen zest when you want it.

Once the packed zest is just barely filled in with juice, use your spoon or spatula to (gently!) settle it all down once more. When finished, you should have a smooth, even surface with no excess juice or puddling.

If you’re using a small container, just put the lid on and label it for the freezer.  If you’re using an ice cube tray, place in the freezer until solid, then store in a small freezer bag. When you want to add a bit of citrus kick to something, just take it out of the freezer, dig out the amount that you need with a small fork, and return it immediately to the freezer. Well-packed and taken care of, it will keep until the next citrus season rolls around (that is, if it hasn’t been all used up!)

Note: The zest in the above photograph (taken this morning) was frozen last winter. It suffered a bit of thawing in an extended power failure (courtesy of Hurricane Irene) but here it is, a year later and little the worse for wear—still smelling nearly as good as the fresh zest that I just put into the freezer.