How to Sweeten the Taste of Bitter Oranges From a Tree

Sour oranges were common in early Europe.

Many people think of oranges as being sweet in taste. However, some orange trees actually produce bitter or sour oranges that may leave an unwelcome taste in your mouth. Rich in history, varieties of sour orange trees are native to southeastern Asia. By 1002 A.D. there were reports of sour orange trees in Sicily and by the end of the 12th Century they were being cultivated in Spain, according to Purdue University. The Spanish brought sour orange trees to Florida by 1763, where they slowly made their way to citrus-growing regions across the country. If you have a sour orange tree in your back yard, alter the taste by adding a bit of sweetener to the fruit.

Things You'll Need

• Sealable hard container
• Knife
• Spoon
• Sugar or sugar substitute

Instructions

Shaking Oranges

1. Place the sour orange in a hard container and seal it.

2. Shake the container vigorously for a few minutes. As the orange bounces off the hard edges of the container, the flesh of the fruit becomes compressed, therefore squeezing juice across the fruit. This juice has sugar which is believed to reduce the sour taste.

3. Slice into the orange and enjoy the taste. You may choose to simply peel and eat the orange or slice it into halves or quarters and eat it with a spoon.

Sugar or Sugar Substitute

1. Peel or slice the orange as desired. Some people like removing the entire peel before eating the orange, while others prefer cutting it in halves or quarters. Either way, the flesh of the orange should be exposed.

2. Sprinkle sugar or a sugar substitute onto the orange. The sweet taste of the sugar combats the sour nature of the orange.

3. Eat the orange. Repeat Step 2 as desired as you consume different portions of the orange.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, if you are adding real sugar to the orange, it is increasing the caloric value of the fruit.

• Using bitter oranges in a recipe that calls for a lot of sugar may mitigate the sour taste. However, if the recipe calls for sweet oranges, use a sweet variety so not to effect the outcome of the recipe.

References

• Purdue University: Sour Orange
• George Mason University: Bitter Orange
• I Food: How to Sweeten Sour Oranges at Home

Resources

• Whole Foods: Oranges