Why do my limes turn brown in the fruit drawer? Am I just not going thru them fast enough? Lemons seem to stay fresher longer.

@mrslarkins
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15 Comments

flgal October 30, 2010
Do what I do with lemons. Zest them, freeze he zest in a baggie, juice the lime and freeze the juice in a ice cube tray....when frozen take out and freeze in ziplock bags. I do it in 1T and 2T.
 
KitchenKim October 28, 2010
@DebJ - Another idea for you is to use your lime juice to make ceviche!
 
DebJ October 28, 2010
I have a lime tree (I live in southern California) and get more limes that I can possibly use. I can't even give them away. (And I won't even mention my kumquat tree.) I don't refrigerate the limes, for what that's worth - just try to use them quickly. My biggest challenge is how to use them beyond pie, flavoring seltzer, a Mexican chicken soup, a salsa. Suggestions welcome! Thanks.
 
Joanne G. May 26, 2020
You can make lime curd same as you make lemon curd. Keeps for ages. About 25 limes, a c water, sugar to taste, then after boiling and reducing add 3 beaten eggs slowly. Reduce down and cool. While cooling, gradually add 4 oz butter broken in small pieces. Refrigerate
 
dymnyno October 28, 2010
I have found that if I keep my limes in a plastic bag in the fridge, they do not turn brown and stay juicy for a long time. If I leave them on the counter, they get brown and dehydrated quickly, much quicker than lemons.
 
mrslarkin October 28, 2010
That is weird, FoodShed!

Hey, all, check out this website I just found: http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/17578

Pretty comprehensive guide to shelf life of foods. It's even got an entry for bacon drippings, in case anyone's curious still from last week's conversation.
 
anyone October 28, 2010
Foodshed Foodshed go away, We don't like business's here anyway, come back as a person some other day, this is a food forum not a way, to promote your business here today.
 
RavensFeast October 28, 2010
Okay, just had to share this. I was browsing through an 1982 cookbook I picked up called "The Old Fashioned Confectioner's Handbook". At the front she has a how-to list that is filled with pretty darn good tricks. One of them is titled "Keep Lemons Fresh". She suggests placing them in a glass jar, filling it with water and closing it tightly. Bizarre, no? Has anyone ever heard of doing this?!
 
pierino October 28, 2010
I'm going to be the contrarian and say, don't refrigerate them at all. Refrigeration doesn't improve citrus in any way. It harms tomatoes even more.
 
BethFalk October 28, 2010
Freeze them! They'll get a little mushy when thawed, but the juice will still be fine.
 
anyone October 28, 2010
I agree, buy the same amount of limes. More margy's.
 
allie October 27, 2010
I will admit to using brownish limes occasionally (not the zest, of course!). They were less juicy, but OK.
 
Mr_Vittles October 27, 2010
They might survive another day, but I would suggest either buying less or using them faster. Whenever I have leftover limes I just fill a pitcher with water and squeeze out all of the leftover juices into it. Then whenever I want water I have delicious, refreshing, tasty, water at my disposal.
 
mrslarkin October 27, 2010
You are right, Mr_V! I just went to check. Guess I gotta start drinking more margaritas. Or not buy so many limes. Would they survive longer in the vegetable drawer, where the humidity setting is high?
 
Mr_Vittles October 27, 2010
Your limes turn brown faster because you may have your fruit drawer on lowest humidity setting, which you should BTW, making the environment very dry, thus the limes are drying out causing them to turn brown (ie decay). To remedy this try wrapping them in plastic film. I would try to use them faster as once they are cut, they lose their flavor at an exponential rate. One or two days in the fridge max.
 
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