Author Topic: Yuzu vs. Meyer  (Read 2132 times)

martweb

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Yuzu vs. Meyer
« on: February 01, 2022, 11:14:46 AM »
How is Yuzu compared to Meyer, especially also the rind?

poncirsguy

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2022, 01:15:52 PM »
Yuzu tree is much better than Meyers in that they don't loose their leaves every time you look at them.  They take much more cold.  They do well on their own roots.  They have less problems with insects and they are much nicer looking.

martweb

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2022, 01:25:34 PM »
That's a good argument, but what about the fruit itself besides the seeds.

poncirsguy

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2022, 02:44:47 PM »
Don't know.  I have never eaten a Yuzu but I can tell you first hand that Meyers taste terrible.  Yuzu fruits are very hard to find and there is a Meyer lemon at almost every street corner.

brian

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2022, 02:59:19 PM »
I just bought a yuzu this year but no fruit yet.  I heard that sudachi is similar to yuzu, and I have sudachi fruits and meyer lemons and they are very different.

Meyer lemon rind has a strong floral smell unlike "regular" lemons, it would make a good perfume but it doesn't go well with food.  The juice of meyer lemons is reasonably similar to plain lemon juice but more sweet, less acidic. 

pagnr

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2022, 03:59:33 PM »
Myer lemon will pass as a lemon, maybe a hint of orange or mandarin in the juice.
Yuzu is not a lemon, the juice is more savoury. Maybe like sour bitter grapefruit/sour orange, but with more balance/depth.

hardyvermont

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2022, 05:41:04 PM »
My Yuzu has very little juice.  Perhaps it is the variety, but they are not comparable for similar uses.  Meyer for lemon juice etc, Yuzu for uses with the skin and for marmalade.

nullzero

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2022, 04:31:26 PM »
Yuzu rind is superior, you can practically dry it and eat it like natural fruit leather with no sugar added. The draw back is the flesh has less juice and there is less of it and it is fairly seedy. If your primary application is juice then Meyer, but if its rind then Yuzu.

Meyer is also more productive and will have a longer season. The Yuzu is hardier tree and the whole fruit is more usable. It would be a hard choice if you could only have one tree.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2022, 04:34:43 PM by nullzero »
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

SoCal2warm

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2022, 05:14:00 PM »
How is Yuzu compared to Meyer, especially also the rind?
An analogy can definitely be drawn between Meyer lemon and Yuzu, but they are also totally different.
The analogy would only be because both of them are somewhat like a lemon but much more on the "orange" or "mandarin orange" side of the flavor than a regular lemon. If a regular lemon is "yellow color" in appearance and flavor, then Meyer and Yuzu would be more in the "orange color" direction. But that is pretty much where the similarity ends.

I would say that Yuzu has some unique fragrance that Meyer lemon does not have. Yuzu is also poor eating quality due to being packed full of a huge number of large sized seeds, the interior flesh not being very juicy, and overall containing only a very small quantity of juice. But the outer rind/peel of Yuzu is tender, mostly lacks bitterness, and I would say is edible or somewhat edible, definitely to a much greater degree than the Meyer lemon. The white pith of Yuzu lacks bitterness and some might even describe it as "sweet". Whereas with a Meyer lemon, you can make a zest from the outer peel but you probably do not so much want to include the white pith, which is nearly useless and has some bitterness like any normal lemon.

In my opinion, a mix of pressed oils from Yuzu peels mixed with the juice of an ordinary lemon would probably be superior to a mix of both the juice and zest peel from a Meyer lemon.

With a Meyer lemon, if you use the peels you are probably going to want to grate and zest it. With Yuzu, they are tender enough that you can simply very finely slice the peels or just mince them. I mean they do not have to be cut up as fine.

JCorte

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2022, 01:04:46 PM »
Thank you guys for sharing your insights, they’ve inspired some ideas I want to try.  I have read a lot of negative opinions on the citrus forum regarding the Meyer lemon, but I love my tree.  I make limoncello, candied lemon slices and spicy lemon marmalade that my family and friends look forward to.  After reading the posts, I’m looking forward to the possibilities of using the yuzu rinds.

Janet

brian

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #10 on: February 05, 2022, 06:07:28 PM »
I think the meyer lemon hate comes from the fact that anybody who has limited knowledge of citrus still knows about meyer lemon and has the idea that it is an exotic and wonderful fruit, and it is featured in desserts and dishes at fancy restaurants and on cooking shows.  But when you grow one, you realize the "boring grocery store lemons" are actually better in most ways. 

I keep mine because it is productive, but when I have too many lemons the meyers end up going to waste.  We are spoiled with so many good fruits that calling meyer inferior doesn't mean it is actually *bad* in any way.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2022, 06:09:00 PM by brian »

pagnr

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #11 on: February 05, 2022, 07:35:02 PM »
Myer lemon has been around for quite a while. It is an attractive ornamental Citrus, usually good crops of nice looking fruit that hang for long periods. Attractive large flowers too.
Maybe not as " Lemon" as a true lemon, but it has some good qualities. Seedlings are variable, some interesting progeny can be had from growing them.

pagnr

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #12 on: February 05, 2022, 07:47:03 PM »
Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer

Yuzu is the winner, hands down.
Here is the definitive reason, from those who know..
https://www.facebook.com/SpoonTamago/videos/2016708848377306/

martweb

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #13 on: February 05, 2022, 10:42:54 PM »
Meyer had a higher juice content compared to regular lemons and is a prolific bearer, Yuzu seems the opposite. So does it make sense to cross both?

pagnr

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #14 on: February 05, 2022, 11:47:08 PM »
So does it make sense to cross both?

Don't know ?? There are a number of various Yuzu hybrids or types from the same lineage, or similar crosses already in Japan.
Maybe you could track them down.
Not sure you can really improve the Yuzu for what it is used for.
Japanese cuisine relies a lot on correct balance of simple ingredients.
More juice or less seeds doesn't seem to bother them ???

manfromyard

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Re: Yuzu vs. Meyer
« Reply #15 on: February 11, 2022, 12:37:46 AM »
Ok. I have grown both yuzu and meyer lemon. Meyer is very juicy but too thin skinned to get much of the zest. Yuzu has great zest but not enough juice.

I ended up using my seedless Ichang lemon to split the difference.  It's extremely juicy for lemonade and pies, and the zest is just as fragrant as yuzu, but with a few different notes.

If you live in a warmer area, I would get one of the italian high oil varieties like Santa Teresa,  limoneira, sorrento clones,  etc.