Lemon juice is one of those simple ingredients that can really elevate a dish. So how do you get the most juice from them? Here are some easy kitchen hacks for how to juice a lemon without a juicer.
Running two food-based blogs, we cook a lot in our household. But one piece of kitchen gear we don’t have is a handheld juicer.
That’s because there are some really effective methods to juice fresh lemons that don’t require any special equipment. Here are the 3 best ways to do it.
Method 1: Roll it
The principle behind this technique is simple. Just roll the lemon on a hard surface like a kitchen countertop or a cutting board for a few seconds, cut it in half, and squeeze.
Why does this work so well? Lemons (and other citrus) are made up of small sacs surrounded by thin membranes. It’s those sacs that contain the juice.
The rolling motion breaks down those membranes, so you’ll end up getting more juice, more easily.
👉🏼 Related: 8 Best Apples for Juicing
Method 2: Poke a hole in the bottom
This technique is super simple and yields a lot of juice. And it works really well!
Here’s how to do it:
- Start by rolling the lemon back and forth on a hard surface to soften it up.
- Using a wooden skewer, poke a hole through one end of the lemon
- Run the skewer to the other end, but don’t poke it all the way through (so the juice only flows from one end)
- Remove the skewer and squeeze the lemon juice into a small bowl
You should get a steady stream of juice without the mess of cutting the lemon or trying to juice it with a spoon or juicer. And since you didn’t cut it in half, you can store the leftover lemon in an airtight container or plastic bag in the fridge without it becoming dry.
Method 3: Microwave it
This method just requires a quick zap to yield more juice from your lemons. Simply pop them in the microwave for 20 seconds, slice in half, and squeeze.
Why this works: When you microwave lemons, the membranes that hold the juice break down (similar to rolling them), so they release the juice more easily. That means more juice when you squeeze them!
FAQ
Freshly-squeezed lemon juice will last for up to 4 days in the fridge. After that, it will begin to lose its flavor and can start to spoil or develop a bitter taste.
Yes, simply add lemon juice to an ice cube tray and pop it in the freezer. Then you can transfer them to a freezer bag once they’re frozen solid. Frozen lemon juice will stay good for up to 4 months.
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