Can I peel a mandarin orange like the commercial canners do?
I can't stand the pith on citrus fruit. Canned mandarin oranges seem to have their segments magically removed from the outer membrane that surrounds it. I know how to supreme a citrus fruit, and that is what I do when I want to eat one, but the canned ones don't seem to have been cut.
Does anyone know if there is a process that accomplishes this, that can be done in a home kitchen?
Best Answer
In theory, yes you can. Whether you want to is a completely different question.
- The segments are "peeled" by soaking them in hydrochlorid acid. Which sounds worse than it is, because the concentration is somewhere between 1% and 0.3% (sources vary). (1)
- Once the outer skin is dissolved, the acid is neutralized by dumping them in a lye bath (sodium hydroxide).
- Finally a good long soak in plain water to get rid of whatever might still cling to the fruit and then it's off to the canner.
Other sources claim that the segments are simply peeled by soaking in a lye bath and then rinsed. (2)
A third source quotes a Dutch magazine and claims it's lye first and hydrochloric acid later. (3)
Note that hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide form NaCl and H2O or, plainly put, salt water if the ratios are correct. So apparently the whole process is quite harmless for us consumers.
Sources:
(1) German Wikipedia; Die Zeit (both in German)
(2) English Wikipedia
(3) nyceyenne (also in German)
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How do they commercially peel mandarin oranges?
Segments are peeled using a chemical process. First, the segments are scalded in hot water to loosen the skin; then they are bathed in a lye solution, which digests the albedo and membranes. Finally, the segments are rinsed several times in plain water.Can you peel mandarin oranges?
Unlike other citruses, the peel (or skin) of mandarin oranges are very thin. That makes it easier to peel compared to oranges with thicker skin.Why are some mandarins hard to peel?
Many different citrus fruits can be hard to peel but tangerines are notorious for this issue. The main reason is that they have a lot of fibers that attach the peels to the pith.How are mandarin oranges prepared for canning?
Pack the oranges tightly into canning jars, leaving at least 1/2 inch head-space. Pour boiling syrup over oranges, leaving 1/2 inch head-space. Remove air with a canning knife, wipe rims, and adjust 2-piece lids to finger tightness. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for both pints and quarts.How canned mandarins lose their skin.
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Answer 2
This is fairly easy, and completely safe, to do with pectinex enzyme. ...and yes, you want to! It is how modernist chefs remove the pith from citrus. You can order Pectinex Ultra-SPL from Modernist Pantry (modernistpantry.com). See this link for the science and technique.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Ryutaro Tsukata, Ryutaro Tsukata