Super lemon juice and super lime juice, AKA SLemon and SLime prevent the waste of perfectly good fruit after juicing. The commercial manufacture of limoncello for example, creates a ton of landfill waste. While the quantities aren’t practical for the home cocktail enthusiast, it is embraceable by bars and restaurants.
Super lemon juice is an ingredient in After the Goldrush and I wanted to test this against the real thing.
Environmental Impact
Citrus is bio-degradable, but takes two years to decompose and bugs won’t eat it because it’s a natural repellant. Using the rinds reduces the need for freshly juiced lemons which require intensive use of water, fertilizer, pesticides and fungicides. If we reduce the demand, we can reduce the carbon footprint of production, composting and transportation.
Use of citrus stock is a growing practice for ecologically conscious bars and restaurants, but most recipes use heat and that causes bitterness. Instead this recipe uses acids found within the fruit to extract the fragrant oils, leaving the peels soft and sweet.
The end result has the flavor and aroma of fresh squeezed with a small fraction of waste and negative environmental impact.
Making Super Lemon Juice
Zest the lemons.
Add the powdered citric acid, the powdered malic acid. Shake and mix, then seal the container and set at room temperature for 4-8 hours – or – 24 hours in the fridge.
Mix with 1 quart of water and rest for an hour to continue the lemon peel maceration process.
Blend thoroughly, strain, label and date.
PrintSuper Lemon Juice
Environmental best practice for making lemon juice
Ingredients
Super Lemon Juice
- 12 lemons
- Food grade citric acid
- Food grade malic acid
- 1 quart filtered water
Super Lime Juice
- 20 Limes
- Food grade citric acid
- Food grade malic acid
- 1 quart filtered water
Instructions
Super Lemon Juice
- Peel the lemons with as little pith as possible, weigh them and reserve in a sealable container. One dozen lemons should yield about 125 grams
- Juice the lemons and reserve it for other uses
- Add 48 grams (1.7 oz) of powdered citric acid per 100-150 grams (3.5-5 oz) of peels
- Add 10 grams (1/3 oz) of powdered malic acid per 100-150 grams of peels
- Shake and mix, then seal the container and set at room temperature for 4-8 hours – or – 24 hours in the fridge
- Mix with 1 quart of water and rest for an hour to continue the lemon peel maceration process
- Blend thoroughly with an immersion blender or a stand alone blender
- Strain, label and date
- Optional: add the lemon juice back in, but the super lemon will last longer if you don’t
Super Lime Juice
- Same as Super lemon except:
- Use 45 grams of citric acid and 8 grams of malic acid per 100-150 grams of peels
- Rest for 2 hours at room temp or 4 hours in the fridge
Notes
Credit: Thanks to @handsomedagger and @bar_expo for sharing the recipe