Lemon turned broccoli purple

I cooked broccoli with lemon and it turned purple/brown. It’s been a while but I believe I was steaming broccoli and added lemon to the water. It tasted bad—not like broccoli or lemon. What happened?

Any general rules about cooking vegetables with lemon? Is it always added at the end of the cooking process?

food-science lemon

Best Answer

Normally, acids will turn broccoli a dull grayish color, and I don't recommend adding the lemon juice until right before you serve. For one thing the lemon juice will lose its flavor when cooked.

Acids affect many, many foods when cooked — some for good and some for bad, so you do need to be careful when you add it. For example, acids added to beans before cooking will toughen them quite a bit. Acids added to proteins will denature them. And we all know what happened to Timothy Leary.

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Lemon turned broccoli purple - Top view closeup of whole ripe limes and tangerines and lemon and pomegranate and grapefruit arranged randomly on white surface

Lemon turned broccoli purple - Citrus fruits and pomegranate placed on white table

Lemon turned broccoli purple - From above of various colors ripe lime and tangerine and pomegranate and lemon placed on white table

Does lemon juice discolor broccoli?

Lemon juice contains citric acid, the acidic "elements" of which, called hydrogen ions, alter the green pigment chlorophyll in broccoli to a grey-green derivative. This happens especially quickly if the vegetable is cooked in the presence of acid.

Does lemon make broccoli brown?

Note: Using the lemon juice will turn the broccoli a little bit brown. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Cook the broccoli until it turns dark green, about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and put the broccoli in ice water to prevent it from cooking.

What is the color of broccoli cooked in lemon water?

You'll see it turn a bright green color. Watch your broccoli closely after the first 3 minutes of steaming to make sure you don't overcook it.

What color is overcooked broccoli?

They give broccoli (and other cruciferous vegetables) an unattractive odour. Their reactions also lead to the brown-grey colour of overcooked vegetables, which is best avoided!

Purple Sprouting Broccoli With Lemon \u0026 Parsley Dressing

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