Juicing Lemons, Limes and Oranges
- To make juicing a lemon easier, halve or quarter it. Microwave on 100% power 15 to 20 seconds. Squeeze out juice.
- Room-temperature lemons, limes and orange will yield more juice than those that are refrigerated.
- Use your palm to roll lemon, lime, or orange around on the countertop a few times before squeezing.
- If just a few drops of juice are needed, pierce the skin with a toothpick and squeeze out what you need. To store it, reinsert the toothpick, put the lemon or lime into a plastic bag, and refrigerate.
- Soak a lemon in hot water for a few minutes to get nearly double the amount of lemon juice. To use just a bit of juice, pierce the lemon with a toothpick, squeeze out a few drops and replace the toothpick to close the hole. Another way many chef's swear to get twice as much juice from your lemon - with half the effort - is if you first roll the uncut lemon back and forth on the kitchen counter, pressing down on it firmly with the palm of your hand.
- To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing.
- If whole citrus fruits are warmed in the microwave or oven for a few minutes, they will yield more juice.
- Store fresh lemon juice in the refrigerator for a week or so. NOTE: If you have a large amount of juice to store, put the juice in ice cube trays and freeze for later use.
See also: Peel and Section Oranges