It seems simple: How to juice a lemon is to simply grab your lemon juicer and rotate or press the lemon. But sometimes, it seems like your lemon produces almost no juice! Did you know there’s a hack to juice a lemon? This post will help you choose the best lemons for juicing and show you how to extract the most juice for your next recipe.
When it comes to adding a refreshing burst of citrus flavor to your shrimp and asparagus or lemon chess pie, there’s nothing quite like the zesty taste of freshly squeezed lemon juice. However, if you’ve ever found yourself struggling to extract enough juice from a lemon, I’ve got a handy kitchen hack that can help you maximize your lemon’s juiciness.
Why You’ll Love This Kitchen Hack
- Quick and Convenient: With this kitchen hack, you can juice lemons quickly and easily.
- Maximize Juice Yield: Have you ever been disappointed by a lemon that seems to have produced very little juice and you need ¼ cup for your Atlantic Beach Pie? This hack is designed to extract the maximum amount of juice from your lemons so you get the most out of each one.
- No Special Equipment Needed: One of the great advantages of this kitchen hack is that it requires no specialized juicing equipment. All you need are lemons and a few common kitchen items that you probably already have on hand.
Why didn’t my lemon produce much juice?
There are many things that contribute to a lemon not producing as much juice as you might have hoped.
Immature lemon: If the lemon was not fully ripe, it may have had less juice. Young lemons tend to be less juicy than fully mature ones, so it’s best to wait until they are ripe before juicing.
Your lemon was dry: Lemons require proper hydration to produce juice. If the lemon tree or the fruit itself didn’t receive enough water during growth, it may result in a dry lemon with limited juice content.
Variety: Some lemon varieties make more juice than others. This lemon post seems to cover them all.
How to Choose the Best Lemon for Juicing
Here are some things to consider when you’re trying to choose the perfect lemon at the supermarket:
- Size and Weight – Look for lemons that are heavy for their size, as this indicates they are full of liquid.
- Firmness – Choose lemons that feel firm and have a slight give when gently squeezed. If it feels excessively hard or overly soft, choose a different one.
- Smooth Skin – Opt for lemons with smooth, blemish-free skin. Wrinkled or rough skin might indicate the lemon is dry inside.
What You’ll Need to Get the Most Lemon Juice Out of a Lemon
This hack for how to make lemon juice is simple and doesn’t require much equipment. Here’s what you need:
- Cutting board and knife
- Microwave
- Citrus juicer
How to Juice a Lemon
Step 1: Loosen up the lemon flesh.
Place the lemon on a countertop or cutting board and gently roll it back and forth using the palm of your hand. Apply slight pressure to help break down the internal membranes and make the lemon easier to juice.
Then, put the rolled lemon in the microwave for about 20 seconds. The warmth will help to loosen the juice and make it easier to extract.
Step 2: Extract the juice.
Remove the lemon from the microwave and carefully cut it in half using a sharp knife. Cut it lengthwise from the stem end to the bottom (not through the center as if you were cutting lemon wheels).
Take one half of the lemon and hold it firmly with your hand. Press the lemon into the lemon juicer and rotate it slowly while applying steady, firm pressure. Rotate until the flesh of the lemon is depressed, and no more juice is dripping out.
If using a press, cut slits in the edges of the lemon rind and place it face down into the press and squeeze the juice into your container.
If you want, you can strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any pulp or seeds.
How to Juice a Lemon Without a Juicer
A lemon juicer can make it easier to extract the juice from citrus, but it’s not completely necessary. If you don’t have a juicer, follow the instructions above for rolling and microwaving your lemon. Then, position the cut side of the lemon facing downwards over a bowl or container to catch the juice. Squeeze the lemon with your hand, applying steady pressure to extract the juice.
If you can’t seem to squeeze your lemon hard enough with just your hand, you can use a pair of tongs instead. Place the cut lemon as close to the hinge of the tongs as possible, then squeeze the lemon between the arms of the tongs. Catch the juice in a small bowl.
Fun facts about Lemons
- Lemon trees produce lemons all year round.
- Lemon juice is a good cleaning agent due to its high acidity.
- A lemon tree can live to be 50 years old
- Produces about 3 tablespoons of juice
- Use it to remove garlic or onion odors from a cutting board
Frequent Questions About Lemon Juice
How do you store lemon juice?
Ideally, use a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid to store your lemon juice. Place the container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Try to avoid any foods with strong odors because lemon juice can absorb the smells and alter the flavor. It will stay fresh for 2-4 days.
Can I freeze lemon juice?
If you have extra lemon juice or want to store it for a longer period of time, freezing it is a good option. Pour the juice into an airtight, freezer-safe container. The lemon juice can expand as it freezes, so leave a bit of room at the top. Seal the container and place it in the freezer.
Try freezing 1-2 tablespoons in an ice-cube tray and then storing the frozen cubes in a freezer bag for easy access to the exact amount you need. Frozen lemon juice can retain its quality for up to 4 to 6 months. Defrost in the fridge.
How to use a lemon squeezer?
A lemon squeezer usually consists of two handles with a bowl-shaped indentation in the middle. Take one half of the lemon and place it cut side down into the bowl-shaped indentation of the squeezer. The cut side should be facing down towards the holes in the squeezer. Hold your lemon squeezer over a bowl or container to catch the juice.
Hold the lemon squeezer firmly with one hand and use your other hand to press the handles together. Apply steady pressure to the handles to compress the lemon half. As you squeeze the handles, the juice from the lemon will be forced out through the holes in the squeezer and into the bowl or container below. Continue squeezing until you have extracted as much juice as possible from the lemon half.
How much lemon juice is in one lemon?
The amount of juice in a lemon can vary depending on its size, ripeness, and juiciness. On average, a medium-sized lemon typically contains about 2 to 3 tablespoons of juice. However, lemons can range in size from small to large, so the amount of juice may vary accordingly.
You can apply this same technique to other citrus fruits like limes and oranges, too!
What to make with lemon juice
Now that you know how to get the most juice from your lemons, here are a few dishes that shine with fresh squeezed lemon juice.
Lemon-Lime Atlantic Beach Pie with Saltine Crust
No-Bake Lemon Chiffon Pie
Strawberry Lemon Cake with Honey Whipped Cream
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Chicken Lemon Pasta
Marinated Shrimp
Kitchen Hack 6 (How to Get the Most Juice Out of a Lemon)
Equipment
- Cutting board and knife
- Microwave
- Citrus juicer
Instructions
- Loosen up the lemon flesh by placing the lemon on a countertop or cutting board and gently rolling it back and forth using the palm of your hand. Apply slight pressure to help break down the internal membranes and make the lemon easier to juice.
- Put the rolled lemon in the microwave for about 20 seconds. The warmth will help to loosen the juice and make it easier to extract.
- Remove the lemon from the microwave and carefully cut it in half using a sharp knife. Cut it lengthwise from the stem end to the bottom.
- Take one half of the lemon and hold it firmly with your hand. Press the lemon into the lemon juicer and rotate it slowly while applying steady, firm pressure. Rotate until the flesh of the lemon is depressed, and no more juice is dripping out.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- If using a lemon press, cut the lemon around the middle and place fruit side down in the press and squeeze out the juice.
- If you have neither a press or a juicer then try using tongs or just use your hands ot squeeze the lemon.
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