You can tell when Yuzu is ripe by its penetrating fragrance—sweet and zesty! Its thick, bumpy skin will also turn a vibrant golden yellow with some hints of green. Their skin will be taut and the fruit will feel slightly heavier than their unripe state. Your Yuzu will arrive ripe for eating. No need to wait to get busy in the kitchen with them.
Yuzu has a subtle, yet more acidic flavor often used in savory dishes. Utilizing your Yuzu is highly dependent on the recipe you make. Choose your own adventure, but remember the whole fruit is a treasure trove from rind to seeds.
The fruit and seeds are commonly used in fermentations and infusions to impart their complex flavor. Yuzu seeds are not edible, but they’re often used in applications like ponzu sauce, vinegars or other infusions to impart their unique citrusy flavor. Yuzu can also be baked into cakes, breads, and pastries, and makes delicious jams, jellies and candies.
Yuzu can be kept at room temperature for up to 1 week. Please note that this method will speed up the ripening. For storage up to 2 weeks, store Yuzu in the fruit crisper drawer of your refrigerator.
It is not recommended to freeze whole Yuzu. For what doesn’t get used in your first recipe you can store the rest: