Saving orange peels is a great way to reduce waste and add vibrant flavor to your homemade cocktails and other beverages. The primary method mentioned in the provided reference is freezing the peel.
The Simplest Way to Save Orange Peels
According to the reference, one effective method is to save spent peel in the freezer until you have enough stored up. This is particularly useful when you only use a little peel at a time (like from just one citrus fruit, which is often enough for a couple of cocktails) but want to accumulate a larger quantity for future use.
How to Freeze Orange Peels
Saving orange peels in the freezer is straightforward. Here's a simple process:
- Prepare the Fruit: Wash the oranges thoroughly before peeling.
- Careful Peeling: Use a sharp peeler or knife to carefully remove the peel. The reference advises trying to avoid any of the white pith attached to the peel.
- Why avoid pith? The pith is bitter. Unless you are specifically aiming for a bitter flavor profile in your drink, removing most of it will result in a cleaner, more aromatic peel.
- Store the Peel: Place the prepared peels in a freezer-safe bag or container. Ensure the container is sealed well to prevent freezer burn and odor absorption.
- Freeze: Store the sealed container in the freezer. You can continue adding more peels to the same container as you use oranges.
By following this method, you can easily build up a collection of orange peels ready to be used whenever you need them for garnishes, infusions, or flavorings in your drinks.
Using frozen orange peels is a convenient way to ensure you always have this useful ingredient on hand. Just take out the amount you need when you're ready to mix your next drink.
