283711 Wed Mar 08 10:49:36 -0800 2006 8 31 Home Cooking 0 1515023 I have several lemons from a co-worker's lemon tree, and I doubt I'll be able to use them all before they start to go bad. I was going to juice them and freeze the juice for future usage, but can I freeze zest, too? If so, how and for how long? Thanks! Wed Mar 08 10:49:36 -0800 2006 0 LAmonkeygirl 1 1515036 You can, but you can also let it sit out in a small dish and let it dry (spread it out in the dish for quicker drying over a couple of days), then put it in a jar for use later. I do this all the time with citrus...easily reconstituted with a drop of water or use dry, which is the way I do it. Wed Mar 08 12:06:17 -0800 2006 1515023 0 Linda W. 2 1515050 But then all the oil in the rind will be long gone and the zest won't be nearly as good, will it? Wed Mar 08 13:12:42 -0800 2006 1515036 0 KathyR 3 1515064 I freeze the rind whole. Well, un-zested. I wash the lemon, cut it in half, juice it, then stack the halves (nest them?). Just stick the stack in a baggie and freeze. When I need zest, I take one off the stack, and usually use a MicroPlane. This keeps the oil intact, and since it is frozen hard, it is zestable. Wed Mar 08 14:19:29 -0800 2006 1515050 0 SteveT 4 1515079 Thanks for sharing your technique. That sounds more like it to me. Wed Mar 08 15:30:34 -0800 2006 1515064 0 KathyR 5 1515086 I'll use it, too! Do you need to let the lemons thaw before zesting? Wed Mar 08 16:20:12 -0800 2006 1515079 0 LAmonkeygirl 6 1515097 Easier to zest them frozen. Wed Mar 08 17:06:25 -0800 2006 1515086 0 Biltong 7 1515140 Absolutely use them frozen. If you let an empty shell warm up, you can't zest it. Even with a microplane. I only freeze Meyer lemons, but with the thin skin they thaw to unusable in five minutes. But the oils stay frozen for the full year. Thu Mar 09 00:24:47 -0800 2006 1515097 0 SteveT 1 1515106 I zest all the lemons limes and oranges I use and save for future use. I use the microplane zester and also a four pronged zester that makes shreds. I keep small freezer bags for each type and just put the zest in each time. The zest stays moist and fresh and gets used up quickly I pull out a pinch or two of zest for baking or to add to salad dressing, salads,vegetables, etc. I use the shreds for long cooked dished like stews, osso bucco, daubes and also for fish. I bought Meyer lemons at Grand Central Market last week and froze the extra zest for future use...it is a beautiful golden color. Wed Mar 08 18:37:46 -0800 2006 1515023 0 Fleur