How to peel an orange at home

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Orange zest is the rind of the fruit without the white soft part that sits just behind the orange layer. The pulp is bitter. The peel is therefore removed with great care and caution in order to pick up only the top layer. In the article, we will consider how to remove the zest from an orange yourself.

Why is this needed?

This is not at all difficult, absolutely anyone can do it. The crust can later be used to give a special touch of taste and aroma to a wide variety of dishes, and sometimes drinks. Zest is added to confectionery, salads, seasonings and even borscht.

Preparing fruit

Orange first needs to be washed. This is especially important if you want to use the removed zest for later cooking. Scrub the crust vigorously with a clean sponge or cloth dampened with hot, soapy water. You can pour boiling water over the surface.

Next, consider how to peel an orange without the white layer. This can be done in several ways, using different devices.

How to peel an orange with a grater?

To do this, prepare a fixture with small holes. It is placed on a cutting board so that the perforated part is on the outside. Remember to hold the handle of the grater so that it does not ride on the base. Next, we perform the following actions:

1. Start rubbing only the orange layer of the rind without touching the white flesh. You have to be extremely careful at this point. Movements must be made in the only direction - from top to bottom.
2. Slightly rotate the fruit and then do the same manipulations. As soon as white pulp visually appears, then unfold the orange again with the untouched side. This process must be repeated until only the light part of the peel layer remains or until the required amount of product is collected for cooking any dish.

It is better not to touch the zest from the bottom and top of the fruit, even if there is an orange layer left.

How to use a vegetable peeler?

Before peeling the orange, wash the surface of the fruit well. Follow these steps:

1. Gently and slowly run the vegetable peeler along the surface of the fruit in a downward motion. Try not to touch the white flesh under the skin.
2. Then the orange peel strips need to be crushed as much as possible, and then you get a real orangezest.
3. Product harvested in this way will have a slightly less intense flavor than if harvested using a simple grater. But it should be borne in mind that in this way the zest will be extracted by volume more than by other methods. But its pieces will turn out to be larger and not very presentable visually.

With the help of a vegetable cutter, you can make a flavoring addition for a cocktail from the zest. To do this, remove a wide and short strip of peel as described earlier. Place it close to the surface of the liquid and twist it with two fingers, thumb and forefinger, to release the orange oil. You can also rub the peel against the rim of the glass to make the cocktail seem more fruity.

But if the white pulp gets into the drink, the bitterness will immediately become very noticeable in it. Therefore, if the light part remains on the orange strip, you can try to carefully remove it with a knife.

So, we looked at how to remove the zest from an orange with a grater and a vegetable cutter. Here are some tips on how to get a high quality product.

Helpful tips

To get a quality product and easily peel an orange, you should consider the following:

1. To make orange zest free of off-flavours, try to choose organic fruits that have not been chemically treated.
2. It is advisable to select fruits with a thick and dense skin.
3. If, before peeling an orange,cool the fruit, then it will become many times easier to remove it. In addition, less juice will be lost during cleaning.
4. The dish you are about to add this ingredient to will get the most orange flavor if you use only the smallest zest because it has more surface for the orange oil to come out of.
5. Try to use the fresh product directly after it is received, the fruity flavor will fade over time.
6. If oranges are mainly used for zest, it's best to keep them in the freezer. Then you can remove the top layer from frozen fruits. Manipulation can be done much more easily than at room temperature.

If there are difficulties with washing the grater after removing the zest, then you can not wash it at all. To do this, after the procedure, place the device in a warm and dry place where the air circulates well. Wait for the remaining peel on the surface of the device to dry, and then simply wipe it with a dry cloth, removing the residue.