What Is a Meyer Lemon?

Winter may be cold and dreary, but it comes with one benefit: It’s peak citrus season! Most grocery stores pack their produce displays with juicy pink grapefruit, tangerines, blood oranges and Meyer lemons, hybrids that are only available a few months of the year.

What is a Meyer lemon?

Meyer lemons are a cross between a mandarin orange and a lemon, which makes them smaller, juicier and sweeter than regular lemons. Their flesh is a golden color instead of bright yellow, and they produce more juice, too. Meyer lemons also tend to be more round than regular lemons, which are oval-shaped.

They were originally used as decorative houseplants in China until a U.S. Department of Agriculture employee, Frank Meyer, brought them to the States. They’re difficult to ship due to their super thin skins, so for years they were confined to the citrus belt of California, Florida and Texas.

Today, Meyer lemons are available in many grocery stores and specialty shops, but the extra precaution required for shipping makes them more expensive. They also have a very short harvest season, so you’ll likely only find them between December and March.

Meyer Lemons vs. Regular Lemons

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What do Meyer lemons taste like?

What makes Meyer lemons so unique is they’re more sweet than tart. They have a tangerine-like flavor and lack the acidity and puckery finish of a regular lemon.

The skin and flesh of the Meyer lemon have an almost herbal aroma. You don’t need to worry about removing the peels because those thin skins are also edible.

How do you store Meyer lemons?

Store Meyer lemons in the refrigerator, same as you would store regular lemons. They’ll last much longer there (up to a week) than they would left sitting on the kitchen counter. You can keep them in the crisper drawer, on a shelf or in an airtight container.

If you plan to juice your Meyer lemons, take them out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature before you start. You could even toss the whole lemon in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds to loosen up the membranes in the fruit, which will yield more juice.

Ways to Use Meyer Lemons

You can substitute Meyer lemons in most recipes that call for regular lemons, but their sweet flavor makes them especially well-suited for baked goods and desserts (especially ones made with lemon curd). I particularly like Meyer lemon recipes with fish, and also like whisking it into a homemade salad dressing. If you find yourself with an abundance of this winter fruit, use the extras to make a batch of preserved Meyer lemons.

When a recipe calls for Meyer lemons, however, you shouldn’t substitute regular Eureka or Lisbon lemons. Since they aren’t as sweet, your recipe will turn out much more sour and acidic than intended—which won’t be a pleasant surprise when you take that first bite.