Bitter oranges; sometimes also known as Seville oranges or sour oranges; are a citrus fruit that is a hybrid of mandarin oranges and pomelo; or grapefruit. They have thick; yellow-orange skin; and their flesh is extremely sour and bitter. Though the raw fruit itself is not usually eaten; their juice; rind; and zest are used in various cuisines around the world.
What Are Bitter Oranges?
Bitter oranges are a citrus fruit of the species Citrus aurantium; which is itself a cross between the pomelo (Citrus maxima); or Duncan grapefruit; and the mandarin (Citrus reticulata).
Bitter oranges are the favored oranges for making classic British marmalade because they have a high pectin content; which helps to set the marmalade; and because their rather intense sourness helps to balance out the large amount of sugar used for making marmalade. Apart from this; however; they are usually used more as a seasoning than as an actual fruit. But they excel in this regard. The juice of bitter oranges is a superb acid for adding to savory dishes. And while their sourness is their most notable characteristic; they impart a greater range of flavor than lemons or limes; making them an excellent addition to cocktail and salad dressing recipes.
Bitter oranges are small fruits; usually measuring about 3 inches in diameter and weighing 5 to 6 ounces. Their skin is rough and dimpled; with a thick rind and yellow-orange color. The fruit itself is yellow to orange and juicy; consisting of around 10 segments of flesh along with a large number of oblong; white seeds. They are only available for a short time during the winter; starting in December (in the northern hemisphere) and ending in early February.
How to Use Bitter Oranges:
Because of their intensely sour flavor; bitter oranges are almost never eaten in their raw form; but rather; it's their juice; their peel; and their zest that is most commonly utilized. Their juice is used in sauces; marinades; desserts; and liqueur; and is popular in Spanish; Moroccan; Iranian; Mexican; Cuban; and other Latin American cuisines; as well as some East Asian cuisines. Its zest is extremely aromatic and can be used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes; as well as for making bitters. Even the peel of a bitter orange can be simmered in a sugar syrup to make candied peel.
What Do They Taste Like?
Bitter oranges have a pronounced sour flavor and slight bitterness along with very little sweetness. If you imagine concentrating the intense; aromatic flavor of oranges; retaining the acidity and juiciness; but replacing the sweetness with sourness; you begin to get the idea of what bitter oranges taste like.
Nutritional Value:
A 100-gram serving of bitter oranges provides 37 to 66 calories and 10 to 15 grams of carbs; along with less than half a gram of fiber; around 1 gram of protein; and negligible fat. It also provides 45 to 90 milligrams of vitamin C; which is from 50 to 100 percent of the USDA daily value.1
Where to Buy Bitter Oranges
Bitter oranges are not the easiest fruit to find. During the winter; you might find them at specialty food stores like Whole Foods; sometimes sold as "sour" oranges rather than "bitter."
If you live near a Latin American grocery or supermarket; or a Cuban grocery store; in particular; it's possible that you might find them there as well. Additionally; some of these Latin American groceries might also carry bottled bitter orange juice. Moroccan; Spanish; and Iranian cuisines use bitter orange quite a lot; so those are some other possibilities; depending on what sort of retail outlets there are near you. The bottled juice; sold by Goya; might also be available online.
Finally; if you can't find it at all; you could try combining equal parts orange and lime juice; with perhaps a splash of vinegar added to get the acidity right.
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