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What is yuzu? Often called the 'queen of citrus', yuzu is the best-known Japanese citrus fruit. A small, knobbly yellow-green fruit with the aroma of lemon, mandarin and grapefruit all at once, and a flavour that isn't quite any of them.
Below, we cover what yuzu tastes like, how to use it in Japanese cooking, and how to grow a yuzu tree of your own in the UK climate.
What is yuzu?
Yuzu is a highly aromatic Japanese citrus fruit with a flavour that blends mandarin, grapefruit and lemon. It originated in central China and was introduced to Japan during the Tang dynasty, where it's been grown for over a thousand years.
Botanically, the yuzu tree is a hybrid. It's a cross between a sour mandarin and Ichang papeda, a cold-hardy wild citrus. That papeda parentage is why yuzu can shrug off frosts that would kill an ordinary lemon tree.
The fruit itself sits somewhere between a tangerine and a grapefruit in size, with a thick, bumpy rind that ripens from green to bright yellow. The peel carries most of the perfume. The juice is sharp and tart, closer to grapefruit than lemon, and the flesh is heavy with seeds.
What is so special about yuzu?
Yuzu's uniqueness lies in its exceptional aromatic quality, unlike any other citrus.
Its scent is often described as a harmonious blend of grapefruit, mandarin, and a hint of pine, making it a desirable ingredient in both culinary and cosmetic industries.
In addition to its rich fragrance, yuzu possesses a tart flavour with subtle sweetness, an attribute that makes it versatile in various dishes. Its high acidity allows it to maintain its distinct flavour, even after cooking or baking.
Yuzu is also rich in vitamin C, particularly in the peel. Which is one reason so many culinary uses focus on the zest rather than the juice.
What does yuzu taste like?
The skin of the fresh yuzu fruit carries a powerful hit of citrus with a striking, floral aroma.
Its wonderfully tart zest is a staple of Japanese cuisine, and is used to flavour ponzus, soy sauces, miso, honey and chilli paste - as well as yuzu tea, or alcoholic drinks such as a yuzu sour.
European chefs have also embraced its famously tart juice in dishes as wide ranging as fish and white meat, to sorbets, ice creams and cheesecakes. Yuzu juice and zest are also big hits with the cocktail crowd, and a yuzu gin & tonic tastes like discovering the drink all over again!
Yuzu pairs beautifully with cream-based desserts and sorbets, makes an excellent marmalade or candied peel, and adds a sharp citrus lift to cocktails and sparkling water.
When the fruit is unripe, green and rock-hard, the peel can be grated over grilled fish, dropped into a clear soup, or stirred through a salad dressing. Yuzu is also used to make yuzu kosho: a spicy fermented paste made with yuzu zest, chillies and salt.
Yuzu products and their uses
If you're looking for easy ways to infuse the unbeatable flavour of yuzu in your cooking, we've got an incredible collection and range of products just for you at The Wasabi Company.
Spice lovers go mad for yuzu kosho and yuzu chilli sauce, while others prefer a more subtle approach with delicately flavoured yuzu noodles or an umami yuzu miso.
If yuzu is one flavour you can't get enough of, then exploring these products is an absolute must!
Try the Yuzu Taster Collection
Dive into the sensational flavour of the famous Japanese citrus with The Yuzu Taster Collection.
The collection contains Yuzu Juice - which is so strongly flavoured that just a few drops will flavour a dressing or marinade, and makes a spectacularly refreshing drink when mixed with sparkling water or gin and tonic.
Miso With Yuzu, also included in the collection, is a delicious twist on a classic miso. Combining the umami-richness of fermented barley, the aromatic and tangy notes of yuzu citrus, and a touch of nutty sesame, this product results in a truly remarkable paste bursting with flavour.
Our new Yuzu Marmalade is a great addition to this set, this small batch artisanal marmalade captures the citrusy brightness and sweet tanginess of fresh yuzu peel in a delicious and versatile preserve. Its vibrant, citrusy flavour and unique texture make it a wonderful addition to your kitchen - great on toast and in baking.
Namashibori Yuzu Ponzu is a traditional Japanese citrus-and-soy sauce made by combining yuzu juice with soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin and dashi. The result is bright and salty at the same time. It's sharp enough to cut through fatty fish or grilled meat, but rounded by the umami of soy and dashi.
Finally, the Taster Collection contains Candied Yuzu Peel. The floral yuzu peel is a delicious treat on its own, or eaten with fine chocolate, especially truffles!
Yuzu Mustard & Yuzu Mayonnaise Twin Pack
This Yuzu Mustard and Yuzu Mayonnaise Twin Pack is a good starting point if you've never cooked with yuzu before. The mayonnaise is bright and citrusy. Try it with prawn tempura or in a chicken sandwich. The mustard has a soft heat and lifts a ham hock terrine or a cheese board.
Planting and growing your own yuzu at home
Growing a yuzu tree in the UK is more realistic than most people assume. The fruit's cold-hardy parentage means it can survive British winters better than most citrus.
At The Wasabi Company, we have a range of citrus trees and plants, including two options for hardy and non-hardy Yuzu Trees.
Read below to find out more about planting, caring for your yuzu plant, and harvesting its fruit.
Planting
Outdoors, in a sunny, south-facing, sheltered spot is desirable for planting. Acidic soils are preferable, and clay soils should be mixed with sand to allow for good drainage. Mounding the earth above the soil level is recommended in these conditions. In dry conditions, watering once or twice weekly is preferable to little and often. A summer mulch will help maintain moisture and reduce the risk of the roots drying out. Water logging is the most common ailment in the UK climate, so please follow the drainage advice above and prevent the tree from sitting in water.
In containers, use free draining compost, and additional perlite or hardwood bark will improve drainage if the compost does not already contain these. Irrigation should be controlled to maintain the compost moist and never saturated. Re-pot every 1-2 years, increasing the size of the pot each time. If you choose to move your tree in winter, remember to use a light pot. Raise the base of the pot above the surrounding ground to allow for free drainage of any excess water.
Caring for your plant
A controlled-release, nitrogen-rich citrus fertiliser applied in spring will support growth, liquid fertilisers should be applied in low strengths little and often to prevent excessive levels.
The most likely pest attack would come from aphids or mites. Encourage natural predators like ladybirds, lacewings and spiders. If evidence of these pests is seen, a spray bottle filled with water and a couple of drops of mild dish detergent will usually deter them. Keep trees dust-free (mites love dust) by gently rinsing the leaves with a very mild soap, or rinsing outdoor trees with a hose every couple of weeks.
All citrus trees require a period of nighttime temperatures below 12ºC for optimum spring flowering. If flowering is prolific in the first two years, it is recommended to remove some of the fruits when very small so the tree is not overburdened. A first and second-year harvest of 6-12 fruits is considered sustainable.
Be warned - yuzu trees wear their hardiness on the outside, sporting sharp thorns that will make themselves known if not handled with care. These can be removed if they are a hazard.
Trees may sprout shoots below the graft, and these should be removed as soon they are observed.
Harvesting
Highly fragrant, small white flowers appear with the spring, and the fruit is ready to harvest in October – December for a seasonally citrus lift to Christmas and the New Year.
Pick from the tree when the skin is a bright yellow. Dark spots or stains on the skin are normal and a sign of ripeness. Far from being rarely eaten, any early fallers can be used when unripe for an extra tart yuzu juice. The zest of both ripe and unripe yuzu is added to soups, dressing, and drinks and is used as a topping to sushi and fish. If you have a bumper harvest, yuzu freezes whole with excellent results for both the juice and the zest and you can always try your hand at making the Japanese delicacy, Yubeshi.
Buy Japanese ingredients at The Wasabi Company
At The Wasabi Company, we stock a range of fresh Japanese citrus fruits seasonally, including yuzu, kabosu, sudachi and more. So, chefs and home cooks can taste the real thing, not a poor substitute. Browse our full yuzu range or explore our Japanese citrus trees if you'd rather grow your own.