Every once in a while limes go on sale in my area for .07 cents each and occasionally I can buy 8 lemons for a dollar. When they go on sale I cannot resist buying them in bulk. I used to panic that I would not be able to use them all before they went bad, and sometimes I couldn’t. Then I developed a strategy that allows me to buy as many as I want when they are on sale and not worry about waste: I grate the rinds, juice the fruit and then freeze the rinds and juice together for future use.
Grate the rind:
After grating each one, place the zest in a section of an ice-cube tray:
Then juice the fruit. To get more juice from your lemons and limes microwave them for about 10 seconds before you juice them.
After juicing each fruit, pour the juice into one of the sections over the zest:
Once you have juiced all of your lemons and or limes, place the tray in the freezer. Once the juice cubes are frozen, move them to an airtight container.
Most of my recipes using limes, call for the juice and rind of one lime. If a recipe only calls for the juice of one lime, I still add the zest as well to add a little extra flavor. Recipes call for different quantities of lemon juice. To help you translate ice-cube to English measurments: Each cube = 2 tablespoons, 2 cubes = 1/4 cup.
A few of my favorite recipes using lime juice:
Southwest Steak Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
This post is linked to Frugal Friday and The Weekend Round Up.
Windy says
Great idea! I will definitely try. Was trying to figure out a good way to pre-squeeze large quantity of lemon juice for a recipe.
[email protected] free A-Z Blog says
This is brilliant! I freeze limes and lemons but I like your idea so much better to zest and then freeze in an ice cube tray with the juice! I’ll be doing this from now on.. thanks
Hilary Sanderson says
This is a great idea! I do something similar with parsley: finely chopped, little bit of water, freeze, then drop cube into stew or whatever you’re making.
Wendy says
Yikes! I just paid .75 EACH for (organic) lemons today. I’ll definitely be watching for sales and doing this.
Ellen says
Can you freeze the zest separately? Do you rec. using a little lime juice (just a little) or water?
Alea says
Yes, you can freeze the zest separately. When I freeze the zest on it’s own I put it in a small container without any liquid.
Anne @ Quick and Easy Cheap and Healthy says
This is a great idea for when you buy reduced citrus and you don’t have time to use them all up! Will have to remember this.