What happens to lemon juice when boiled?

What happens to lemon juice when boiled? - Sliced Lemon on Red Ceramic Bowl

Does anyone know what happens to the flavor of lemon juice when it's boiled?



Best Answer

When lemon juice is boiled, it reduces, which means that water evaporates. This concentrates the flavor. This concentration and cooking also changes the flavor. The now cooked juice, while still clearly identifiable as lemon, will be much less bright. Keep going, and eventually you will get a syrup. Soon after that it will burn.




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Quick Answer about "What happens to lemon juice when boiled?"

When lemon juice is boiled, it reduces, which means that water evaporates. This concentrates the flavor. This concentration and cooking also changes the flavor. The now cooked juice, while still clearly identifiable as lemon, will be much less bright.

Can you boil down lemon juice?

Its natural acidity prevents it from spoiling too fast. Although, if you want to keep it for a bit longer than 2 to 4 days, you have to help it along some. The perfect way to do that is by canning and then boiling the juice. If your lemon juice will last longer, you need to can and boil it properly.

Does boiling lemons destroy vitamin C?

But be careful not to boil the water or actually cook the lemons which can reduce the amount of vitamin C and diminish their nutrients.

Does heating lemon juice make it bitter?

Fresh, just-squeezed lemon or lime juice does wonders for a pan sauce. But if you've ever added it to a sauce too early, you know how funky it tastes when it cooks. Avoid discoloration and a bitter flavor by only adding the juice after you remove the sauce (or stew, or soup, or whatever) from the heat.



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More answers regarding what happens to lemon juice when boiled?

Answer 2

The main acid in lemon juice is citric acid. It’s a good inhibitor of oxidation, so lemon juice will slowly oxidate at room temperature or in the fridge. However, heat increases the rate of oxidation, the rationale here is as you heat the lemon juice the molecules will start to move faster thus increasing the rate of oxidation.

So in short: When you boil lemon juice, the molecules in the lemon juice will oxidize faster. It’s hard to tell how oxidation effects taste, but my experience as for the lemon is that, it will mainly impart a bitter taste.

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