It’s no secret that citrus fruits are delicious and a great source of vitamin C. What you may not know, however, is how to get the most juice from them! In this article, I will share my favorite way to extract the most juice possible from any citrus fruit – including orange, lemon, lime, or grapefruit.
Juicing oranges or lemons may seem like a mundane task, but it’s worth it. When juicing citrus, there are a few kitchen secrets to follow to ensure you get the most juice for your money.
Freeze your fruit
You can free citrus fruits whole, although you may want to quarter a grapefruit before freezing it. This will enable you to break them apart into wedges after they have been thawed for juicing. Once you juice your lemons and limes, the juice can also be frozen in ice cube trays and then stored in a labeled freezer bag or container until ready to use. Use the ice cubes in cocktails, or pop them into your blender for ice-cold frozen drinks.
Freeze citrus fruits in your refrigerator freezer until they are frozen solid. Take them out and microwave them for 30 seconds to a minute. This will soften the fruit up, and you will get more juice.
Press as hard as you can
Many people are surprised to discover that the most juice is extracted when you press down on the fruit with all of your power. Whether it’s an orange or grapefruit, don’t be shy about putting pressure on them while juicing for maximum juice extraction!
Pressing your fruit is a great way to alleviate tension, and it helps to get more flavorful juice.
Cut off the ends first
You will get more juice if you cut off and discard any ends from citrus fruits before slicing in half and squeezing them into a bowl. This applies to oranges, lemons, limes, or grapes. Be sure not to throw away those leftover chunks, though – they have lots of great uses like adding flavor to salads, pasta, and desserts! Citrus zest can also add tons of flavor without extra calories.
Roll your citrus
The key to getting the most juice from citrus fruit is by rolling it on your countertop before slicing. The act of rolling will loosen up some of the juices and cause them to spill out, so you’ll be left with more liquid when you cut into the fruit.
You can also roll an orange or grapefruit (it’s just not as easy for limes and lemons) against your palm if that feels better! Once they are sliced open, make sure to squeeze each half over a cup – this guarantees that no little bits go wasted in between cutting.
Place them on a cutting board while squeezing them gently against your palm if that feels better! Once they are sliced open, make sure to squeeze each half over a cup – this guarantees no little bits go wasted in between cutting.
Pop it in the microwave
An easy way to soften citrus fruit and get more juice from it is to place it in the microwave for 10 – 30 seconds. This makes the fruit easier to slice and juice.
The famous French chef Jacques Pepin suggests microwaving a lemon for 10 seconds before juicing it, and this trick works. It helps to soften the fruit as well as to get the water molecules moving throughout the fruit. Microwaves move through the fruit, causing this chemical reaction, which breaks down the fruit cells and starts to release their juice.
Soak your citrus
You can also let a lemon or other citrus fruit soak in hot water for about an hour before juicing it, making sure that you’re changing out the water every 15 minutes. This will help make your lemons plumper with natural sugars so they’ll be sweeter and give off more juice when squeezed.
Use a juicer
If you drink a lot of orange, lemon, or lime juice, you can invest in a juicer. Citrus juices are generally high quality, economical, and easy to use. Simply slice the fruit in half and let the juicer do all of the heavy lifting.
