How to use Korean Citron Yuja/Yuzu

Yuzu (柚子) or yuja (유자) in Korean is the new posh ingredient these days at classy restaurants all over the Bay Area and California. All the expensive restaurants have been using it to make glazed sauces for fish, as an ingredient in salad dressings, as a garnish for cocktails, as the main cake flavor, and to jazz up condiments. I have even seen yuzu used as a foam on top of various desserts, drinks, and dishes!

About Korean Citron Yuja/Yuzu, Citrus junos (yuzu)

Yuzu citrus fruit is typically associated with Japanese cuisine but Koreans have been using it for centuries. Yuzu fruit originally came from Tibet/China and was imported to Japan through Korea. A little fun fact is that the characters 柚子 in Chinese, according to my in-laws, translates to “pomelo” which is interesting since pomelos are huge and dwarfs the yuzu. I can see why the ancient Chinese called the yuzu a pomelo since yuzu has a similar flavor profile. The yuzu tastes like a cross between a grapefruit, tangerine, and lemon with floral notes.

First Experience with Yuzu

I have to admit that I did not grow up with much knowledge of yuzu since my Korean mother did not use it. She came from a town a few hours outside of Seoul and said that yuzus are grown in the south western part of Korea, and the southern most islands where the temperatures don’t get as bitterly cold. I took an interest in yuzu when I was searching for an all-natural Korean cold remedy and found Korean citron tea (also called yuzu marmalade) at the Korean market. Since Korean culture has become increasingly more popular, I have seen yuzu come up in dishes at fancy restaurants and cocktail lounges. Costco even sells a gigantic jar of Korean citron tea in the beverage isle.

After trying Korean citron tea, I fell madly in love with the floral fragrance and unique flavor that I can only describe as yuzu flavor. Something about drinking warm citron tea made me feel more connected to my roots.

Korean Citron Tea/Marmalade

This is the Honey Yuzu Tea that I normally buy. Every major Korean market in the Bay Area sells these jars but I got this one from the website, Yamibuy, because it contains natural ingredients. Ingredients: Yuzu, honey, sugar, fructose, & agar.

This one is good but most of the commercial yuzu marmalade/teas are too sweet for me. I only end up using 1/3 of the recommended serving amount.

Growing a Yuzu Tree in my Backyard

After doing a little research on Yelp, I found a local nursery that sold Yuzu trees which is amazing since I had already checked out 7 other nurseries. The funny thing is that the nursery is close to my house and owned by a Korean couple.

Importing yuzu trees, seeds, and fruits from Japan/Korea to the US is illegal because of diseases that citrus trees can carry. Therefore, all the yuzu trees grown in the US came here during the first wave of Japanese immigration.

My tree is 2 years old and 3 feet tall. Citrus grows really well in the South Bay and yuzu isn’t a fussy tree. All I did was plant the tree in citrus soil, watered regularly, and fertilized in Fall and Spring. Take care to isolate yuzu tree from areas of heavy traffic or where kids play since the tree has 2 inch long SHARP thorns. Yuzu farmers have to wear heavy duty work gloves when harvesting.

I’m stoked that my tree yielded 20 fruits this year! Especially because yuzus are hard to find in the grocery store. The Japanese market usually has it in stock during November-January and last time I checked, 6 small green fruits are $9! It got me thinking that maybe I should start selling mine to local restaurants.

So what’s the best way to prepare and enjoy this expensive fruit? By making Yuja-Cheong 유자청 (yuzu marmalade)! Most people combine the marmalade with water to make a tea that’s great for a sore throat and cough, but there are multiple yummy ways to utilize it that come off as chic and modern.

The best part about making my own organic yuzu marmalade picked fresh from my tree is that the maximum amount of vitamin C is preserved. However, store-bought is older and the vitamins have degraded. Yuzu has 3x more vitamin C than lemon so it’s used in a lot of Korean/Japanese skincare products to lighten dark spots and prevent aging.

How to Make Korean Citron Marmalade, Yuja-Cheong

I picked 4 yuzus to make 6 ounces of yuzu marmalade. The other green fruits are sudachi limes that needed to be picked. Wash the yuzus with baking soda to scrub off any dirts. Completely dry the fruits with a kitchen towel and slice the fruits open crosswise. Take care not to cut through the seeds (if you want to save the seeds for planting). Remove the seeds.

Remove as much pulp as you can and slice the skin into thin strips. Finely mince the pulp into a paste and add into a bowl with the skin. Combine with honey or sugar at a 1:1 ratio with the yuzu. I like to just use honey since I like that honey has nutrients and minerals, but some people say that honey’s flavor is too strong. Using just sugar yields a better marmalade color and more pure yuzu flavor but I try to make my version as healthy as possible.

I honestly didn’t measure my honey, I eyeballed how much to add until all the mixture was completely saturated.

Make sure you sterilize your preserve jar by boiling the jar for 10 minutes. I also boiled the lid for a minute. Let it dry completely before adding anything.

How to Use Yuzu Marmalade

Yuzu Tea

The #1 way to use yuzu marmalade is to make yuzu tea (yuja-cha, 유자차; 柚子茶) by just combining 1 tsp-1 tbsp (depending on how strong/sweet you want it) with 6 ounces of hot water.

Yuzu Mushipan (Steamed Cake)

I added some yuzu marmalade, instead of using sugar, in a basic Mushipan recipe that I found from my favorite Japanese inspired recipe website justonecookbook. The Mushipan turned out beautiful and bursted with bright yuzu flavor! My kids love to eat these as an afternoon snack or for a to-go breakfast on their way to school.

Other Yummy/Chic Uses

• Yuzu Mayonnaise for french fries, sandwiches, fried chicken, or dipping veggie sticks.
• Spread yuzu marmalade on toast, crackers, or add as a garnish on pancakes.
• Mix with vinegar, olive oil, and salt to make a yuzu vinaigrette for salad.
• Mix with a shot of tequila, ice, and sparkling water to make a yuzu cocktail.

Dried Yuja/Yuzu for Cocktail Garnish

On the topic of cocktails, you can slice the yuzu thinly and dehydrate in the oven to make a modern but very easy and beautiful garnish!

Slice the fruit crosswise and dehydrate the fruit in the oven at the lowest temperature setting possible until the fruits are crispy. It can take several hours so make it a weekend project.

Store in a clean airtight contained for a month.

And if you become as obsessed as I am about yuzu, and you saved the seeds from your home-made yuzu marmalade, you can try to grow your own tree!

How I Grew a Yuzu Tree from Seed

Citrus fruit seeds have a thick outer shell so to make the seeds germinate faster you need to remove that outer shell. The easiest way is to clip the tip of the seed with nail clippers and carefully peel off the shell.

Put the seeds between two moistened paper towels, so the seeds stay moist, and store in a NON-airtight container (don’t want mold to grow) in a dark warm place like in a kitchen cabinet. After two weeks, the seeds will start to sprout and you can plant the seeds in paper cups filled with garden soil.

This is my two year old tree. It’s about 1.5 feet tall now. I harvested about 20 seeds and only 1 was successful! My dream is to be able to grow a couple of trees from seed, so that when my daughters buy their own house, I can’t plant them a yuzu tree. Yuzu trees take 10 years to grow large enough to produce fruits, so that’s why they are very expensive and treasured.

Yuzu Smelling Household Cleaner

I became so obsessed with the smell of yuzu that I wanted my house to smell like it. I tried commercial yuzu smelling household items like Method’s Yuzu hand soap and dish soap but it didn’t smell quite right. I also bought Muji’s Yuzu Essential Oil for my scent diffuser but the yuzu smell wasn’t concentrated enough.

Finally, I found an essential oil that smelled closest to yuzu, Bergamot Orange which is a citrus native to the Mediterranean area.

To make yuzu smelling household cleaner, just fill a spray bottle with distilled water and add a squirt of castile soap and 5 drops of Bergamot essential oil. I use this all-purpose cleaner on my quartz kitchen counters, tile floors, wood floor, stove, carpet, on everything. It smells so good!

If you have access to fresh yuzu, I highly recommended you make yuzu marmalade!