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User @chefv707 — aka private chef Veronica Eicken — has devised a simple, low-lift solution for all of your leftover lime rinds. All you’ll need is a blender, stovetop pot, water, sugar, and a jar to use leftover lime rinds to make a flavorful syrup for margaritas.
How to Use Lime Rinds to Make Flavored Simple Syrup
Grab your leftover lime rinds (here, Veronica appears to have about 8 to 10 limes), load them in a full-size blender with 3 cups of water, and pulse “just three times.” Strain the entire solution into a stovetop pot — don’t press, or you’ll risk a bitter syrup, adds Veronica.
Add 3 cups of sugar to the mix (you can dial the sugar measurement up or down to your liking). Heat on low until the sugar has just dissolved. Pour into a heatproof glass container and let the syrup cool fully before storing in the fridge overnight. Taste the solution and add fresh lime juice if you wish, and voilà — a sweet-and-tart syrup you can use as the base of a killer margarita.
My Thoughts on This Clever Hack
Longing for happy hour, I decided to give it a whirl. I was a little nervous about blitzing out my blender with so many limes, but the water and quick pulses worked well. I immediately noticed the liquid resembled store-bought lime juice after blending.
Straining the liquid and dissolving the sugar took an easy five minutes, and after cooling my masterpiece overnight, I took a taste. Delicious! It was by far one of the easiest and most eco-friendly simple syrups I’ve made. Now for the hard part — should I use my syrup for dessert or margaritas? Why not both! As Veronica says, “waste not, want not.” Cheers!