Sour oranges, how to use them

Zoranj su: sour oranges also known as bitter oranges in English, key ingredient in Haiti’s cuisine.

The high acidity of sour oranges makes them a great partner in prepping, marinating and cooking meats and seafood.

Below is a list of a few ways they find themselves in our cooking. Please, feel free to comment should you like to add more to this list.

In Haiti, we use sour oranges to:

  1. “Cleanse” and tenderize our meat and fish.

    We rub them with the fruit before adding any seasoning.

    Sour oranges, key ingredient in Haiti's cooking. | tchakayiti.com

  2. Remove the strong smell from chicken.

    The process is the same as the cleansing but it is definitely worthy of a separate mention. In Haiti, we feel strongly about the smell of our chicken, and are convinced they deserve a special treatment.

  3. Cook our griot (fried pork).

    This renowned dish is cooked in sour orange juice, salt, thyme and piment bouc before being fried. (I promise to share a proper recipe soon)

    In Haiti, sour oranges are the main ingredient in the preparation of our griot, fried pork. | tchakayiti.com
  4. Prepare our marinades.

    Sour oranges are a great substitute for vinegar and lime. Make sure to use them sparingly, however. Their acidity level is high.

  5. Prepare a hot sauce

    You will find an amazing sour orange infused hot sauce recipe right on this blog.

    Infused with sour oranges, this recipe for a Haitian hot sauce is the only one you'll ever need. | tchakayiti.com

And my latest discoveries:

  1. Add them to your turkey brine
  2. Use them to brighten your shallots

    In just a few minutes, sour oranges can enhance your shallots’ color.

    Sour oranges, the secret to brighten your shallots. | tchakayiti.com

  3. Or make a sour orange jam.

    I promise to write more about that soon.Did you know you can use sour orange peels to make a jam? | tchakayiti.com

Please share this article:

2 Comments

  • Cheryl AK

    Where can I find some?

  • Beatrice

    I love sour oranges. It gives your poultry and pork an amazing taste and golden color when cooking Haitian fried chicken and griot.

    • annick

      That they do 🙂

Leave a comment:

Your email address will not be published.

Get on my list!

Sign up and receive my latest stories via email.

You have been successfully Subscribed! Ops! Something went wrong, please try again.
Saveur Blog '19 Awards | Best Food Culture Blog

Latest Stories

  • All
  • appetizer
  • aromatic herbs
  • cereales
  • cocktail
  • condiments
  • Creole Kitchens
  • culture
  • drinks
  • fish
  • fruits
  • grains
  • Idea Casserole
  • inspirational
  • lakou lakay
  • meat
  • recipes
  • salted
  • seafood
  • side
  • snack
  • sweets
  • Tips & Tricks
  • ustensiles
  • vegetables
© Copyright 2023. Tchakayiti by Annick Mégie. All rights reserved.
%d bloggers like this: