How to make orange zest

If you want to incorporate flavorful orange zest into your favorite recipes but don’t have a zester on hand, you can use a grater or a vegetable peeler and a sharp paring knife to get the job done.

The outer peel of the orange, commonly referred to as orange zest, holds the highest amount of essential oils. Sweeter and less tart than lemon peel, orange peel brings a bright, citrus flavor to everything from desserts to main dishes.

Your best chance: Lemon zest

You can use it as a replacement for orange zest in orange chicken or in cookies and cakes. The zests from lemons and oranges are equally pungent, which means that you can use lemon zest as a 1:1 substitute for orange zest.

Orange zest is the colored outside portion of its peel. It brings a citrusy, tangy flavor to recipes. It’s great in salad dressings like our Citrus Salad Dressing, or baked goods like Orange & Fennel Cake. The pith has a bitter flavor and should be avoided.

Wash the oranges thoroughly in a clean sink under clean, running water. You may wish to use a clean and sanitized fruit/vegetable brush to gently scrub the outside of the orange under running water. This will help remove dirt and bacteria from the outside of the orange.

In my opinion orange zest it best fresh but if you need to store it, here are my guidelines: Refridgerator: sealed in an airtight bag or container for 1 week. Freezer: sealed in an airtight freezer-proof bag for up to 1 month.

If you don’t have a use for the zest immediately, freeze it—frozen zest keeps for up to three months—and you‘ll always have a container of gloriously bright flavor crystals on hand to freshen up your cooking. Generally speaking, there are two ways to get zest from citrus: use a zester or use a peeler.

Make your own budget friendly fertilizer.

Nitrogen is essential to good fertilizer. When your soil needs a boost, you can add in ground up orange peels. The peels will release the nitrogen and the result is nutrient rich soil your plants will love.

Leftover lemon and orange peels can be used to acidify the soil for plants like azaleas. Just dry the citrus peels and grind them into a powder. Sprinkle this on the top of the soil and mix it in the first inch or so. It is a great and all natural way to increase the acidity of the soil.

ANSWER: Orange peels and other citrus peels are great for adding to your compost piles. As citrus peels break down, they will add phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium to your compost, all three of the most important nutrients that plants need to thrive.

Both peels add nutrients and nitrogen to the soil as they decompose. They rot quickly if you bury them, offering rich stores for vital nutrients to the soil, including potassium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorus, magnesium and sodium. You can dry and grind peels to use as mulch, or apply them directly to planting areas.

Spread the orange peel in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 200°F oven until they curl and harden slightly – 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Citrus Deters Ants. According to HomeTipsWorld and their article here, ants really do hate orange peel. Similar thing goes for using orange peels to keep flies away. Hang up orange peel around your patio and it will keep them away.

Orange Peels

Also, aphids and ants really do not like the scent of oranges, so you can bury the peels shallowly in your garden soil, or shred pieces of it and scatter that across your garden. Additionally, similar to one of the many uses of eggshells, you can use half of an orange peel to plant a seed!

The orange peels are rich in fiber, vitamin C, folate, vitamin B6, calcium and other essential nutrients. The skin of the oranges contains a good amount of polyphenols that protect against several diseases. Peels have anti-cancerous properties, due to the presence of limonene, a naturally occurring chemical.

Can my dog eat orange peels? No. Dogs should not eat the orange’s peel, the white film on the orange’s flesh or any other plant part. “It’s extremely important to remove all traces of skin, pith and seeds as these parts may contain toxic compounds,” Dempsey explains.

For pest control that is friendly to both the budget and the environment, use orange (Citrus x sinensis) peels to repel animals, insects and slugs from plants in your garden.

Orange peels are not poisonous, and as many cooks know, orange zest can pack a big flavor punch. If you do eat the peel, you’ll get a good amount of nutrients. “Orange peel actually has more fiber than the fruit inside,” Flores said. “It also has flavonoids in it that contain nutritious benefits.”

Rubbing orange peels directly on the skin can be an effective mosquito repellent. Insects in generally find the odor of orange oil offensive.

Oil derived from sweet orange peel has a 90 to 95 percent content of limonene, which is lethal to fleas, fire ants and flies. Many insects such as roaches, ants and silverfish do not care for the scent of orange oil and will avoid it. Placing bits of orange peel or zest around the garden repels flies and mosquitoes.

Begin with a large, thick swath of orange peel, about 1 inches by 2 1/2 inches. Holding a lit match or lighter between the peel and the surface of the cocktail, squeeze the oils so they pass through the flame and onto the drink’s surface.