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Boiled Yuzu Peel ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Oita Prefecture

    Boiled Yuzu Peel

Boiled Yuzu Peel

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  • Main lore areas

    Hita City, Kusu Town and Taketa City

  • Main ingredients used

    Yuzu Peel

  • History/origin/related events

    Oita Prefecture is one of the largest producers of Yuzu nationwide. Yuzu trees can be found everywhere in the prefecture and are a fruit that even people who are not involved in agriculture are well-acquainted with.
    There is a large temperature differential between day and night in Hita City, and this produces Yuzu with a rich aroma and high quality. The “JA Oita Hita Yuzu Group” is made up of about 80 growers who grow Yuzu on fields totaling about 30 ha. Green Yuzu shipments begin in late august, while ripe, yellow-colored Kogyoku Yuzu are shipped from around November. Most of the Yuzu that are shipped both within and outside of Oita prefecture are used in processed foods such as juice or yuzu pepper.
    In Hita City and other yuzu-producing regions, there are many other ways to enjoy yuzu besides using the peel and juice in cooking. For example, “Boiled Yuzu Peel” glazes the Yuzu peel, and this can be served with tea or used as a New Year’s dish. “Yuzu-neri”, made by boiling sweetened, and thinly sliced Yuzu can be eaten as is or spread on bread. It can be served as “Yuzu Tea” if mixed with hot water. In addition, Yuzu also has many non-food uses such as a skin lotion prepared by soaking Yuzu seeds in shochu or being places in the bath during the winter solstice.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    Yuzu is shipped to the market between August and November. Since “Boiled Yuzu Peel” is relatively shelf-stable, it is often used for New Year’s dishes. Also, because many regular households grow Yuzu in their gardens, it remains a strong part of the diet.

  • How to eat

    Scrape out the inner pith from the thick Yuzu peel and cut into 2 or 4 equal-sized pieces, and boil twice in plenty of water. Boiling the Yuzu peel twice helps to reduce bitterness and harshness. Drain the water and sprinkle with sugar and when the Yuzu softens, place in a pot and simmer in an appropriate amount of water until glossy. Transfer to a container for storage. Some households like to freeze the Yuzu peel. The amount of sugar is to taste, but it is recommended to slowly simmer with about 80% of the weight of the Yuzu peel. When simmering in a pot, the Yuzu peel may disintegrate or burn if the temperature is too high, so simmering well at a low temperature is one of the keys to this recipe. In the past, this dish was prepared in a large kettle, over an open fire, in which the temperature was easy to control.
    The dish is delicious when prepared thinly sliced, such as when floated on top of sweet rice wine (amazake) or served with other dishes. There are also many recipe variations in each household.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)
    Processed foods made from Yuzu peel are available for purchase at Japanese confectionary stores as well as farmer’s markets. There are also many households that make Yuzu products in season and naturally, these recipes have been handed down in each family.

RECIPE

Ingredients (Serves 20 people)

  • Yuzu Peel 1 kg
  • Sugar 800 g

How to cook

  • 1. Thinly peel the Yuzu skin.

  • 2. Remove the pith and divide in 2 or 4 parts depending on the size of the peels. Boil and drain 2 or 3 times and soak in water.

  • 3. Divide the sugar into 2-3 parts and boil down until the liquid evaporates.

Recipe Arrangements

Freeze when storing for extended periods.

provider : “Local Oita Cuisine to Pass on to the Next Generation”

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

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