Dry Lemon Peel – It’s That Easy

Dry lemon zest – preparation

When buying lemons, pay attention to where they come from. Pollutants such as pesticides are difficult to wash off, even with a thorough cleaning. It is, therefore, best to buy fruit with an organic certificate.

• Even if the lemons are untreated, you should clean them thoroughly beforehand. To do this, wash the fruit with hot water and then wipe it off with kitchen paper.
• When rubbing off the peel, make sure you only remove the outer yellow layer. The white inside of the shell has an inedible, bitter taste.
• You can use a simple kitchen grater or a lemon peeler to grate. Alternatively, use a kitchen knife.

drying options

In the following points, we will show you the three best ways to dry lemon peels properly.

• Oven: Spread the lemon peels on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. The temperature must not be set too high, between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius is optimal here.
• To allow excess moisture to escape, do not close the oven door completely. Place a cooking spoon or something similar between them. After about three hours, the citrus peels are dry and can be stored.
• Dehydrator: Even in the dehydrator, you have to let the peels dry at a low temperature for about three hours. Exactly how much time you need depends on the respective model and should be read in advance in the operating instructions.
• In the air: Spread the lemon peels on kitchen paper and let them dry for about three days, turning them every day.
• Storage: When storing, make sure that the shells are kept in an airtight container and in the dark. In this way, dried lemon peels can be kept for months without impairing their taste.
• Tip: If you grind the dried lemon peel very finely, you can use it to make a lemon spice and use it in a variety of ways in the kitchen.