How to Freeze Bottled Lemon Juice

Freezing lemon juice preserves it for later use.

Lemon juice is used in a variety of recipes such as cookies, cakes and main dishes that require acidity to balance flavors. Fresh lemon juice is preferred, but bottled lemon juice is an acceptable substitute. It's more economical to buy a large bottle of juice, but it may take a year or longer to empty the bottle. Freezing the juice preserves it and hinders the growth of any organisms that may cause spoilage or allow harmful bacteria to grow.

Things You'll Need

• Bottled lemon juice
• Resealable freezer bag
• Ice trays

Instructions

1. Open the bottle and pour the juice into a resealable freezer bag. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System indicates that glass jars are not appropriate for freezing liquids because the extreme cold may cause the glass to break, so you should transfer the juice to a freezer bag that is better suited for freezing. Divide the lemon juice into multiple, smaller freezer bags to thaw in manageable quantities.

2. Eliminate the air from the plastic bags before sealing.

3. Consider pouring the lemon juice into empty ice trays and freezing them for future use. Melting one or two cubes at a time allows you to use only what you need. You can also pre-measure amounts for the trays, such as in 2 tbsp. or 5 tbsp. batches.

4. Place a plastic bottle of lemon juice directly in the freezer after pouring off a small amount of juice first. Liquid expands when exposed to freezing temperatures and the lemon juice needs room to expand inside the bottle.

Tips & Warnings

• Allow lemon juice to thaw in the refrigerator before use.

• Write dates on the freezer bags or bottle so you know how long the juice has been frozen.

• Frozen lemon juice will keep well for up to a year.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Guide to Freezing Food
• Alabama Cooperative Extension System: The Do's and Don'ts of Freezing Foods
• Food Reference: Lemons