Lemon
| Form | Fresh; one lemon ≈ 3 tbsp juice + 1 tbsp zest |
|---|---|
| Role | Acid, aroma |
| Storage | Fridge, 3–4 weeks |
| Season | Peak Nov–Mar in California |
| Allergens | none flagged |
| Pantry staple | no |
| Price | $0.89 / each |
| Nutrition | |
| Per tablespoon | 4 kcal |
| Each | 17 kcal · 58 g |
| Per 100 g | 29 kcal |
| Approximate; enter values from a source you trust. | |
Description[edit]
The zest carries the oils and most of the aroma; the juice carries the acid. Bottled juice substitutes for the second and nothing substitutes for the first, so the rule is honest about it: low confidence, use fresh where zest is called for.
Find out more[edit]
Used in[edit]
| Recipe | Qty | Unit | Job in the recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon and garlic roast chicken | 2.0 | each | juice |
| Lemon bars | 4.0 | each | zest |
| Lemon vinaigrette | 1.0 | each | juice |
Can stand in for[edit]
Substitutions[edit]
| Use instead | When its job is | How much | Confidence | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottled lemon juice (Lemon) | any | × 1 | low | Bottled juice stands in for the juice (3 tbsp per lemon). Nothing stands in for the zest, which carries the aroma. ⚠ Where zest is called for, use fresh. |
| Bottled lemon juice (Lemon) | zest | as base rule | low | ⚠ This recipe is built on zest. Bottled juice will taste flat and slightly metallic. |
| Bottled lemon juice (Lemon) | juice | as base rule | medium | ⚠ none |