If you want to make homemade lemonade or simply squeeze some lemons, you will soon find out that juicers are not necessary to get the juice out of lemons. It’s surprisingly simple to juice lemons without a juicer, and there are several methods you can use.
Fresh lemon juice can make all the difference in recipes, from making a refreshing pitcher of lemonade to a lemon meringue pie. The key ingredient for both of these mouth-watering treats is fresh juice. Not only are lemons an essential ingredient for recipes, but they provide several health benefits.
Lemons are a superfood. They are filled with tons of nutrients and are great for detoxifying your body. So it is essential to squeeze the majority of the juice from the lemons as possible. By using the prepping tips and one of the DIY techniques, it is possible to get every last drop of lemon juice from this citrus fruit.
Prepping the lemons
Before you learn how to juice a lemon without a juicer, you must first prep your lemons. The first step is to rinse the lemons before you start. Once you have washed the fruit, you can begin prepping the lemons for juicing.
Prep time is essential to get the majority of the juice squeezed out of this superfood. The following six tips will make juicing lemons much easier:
Room temperature: Allowing your lemons to sit out until they have reached room temperature is a key step. You can always cool the juice in the fridge after squeezing. When the citrus reaches room temperature, the pulp will soften, making the lemon easier to squeeze. (This tip also works great for juicing limes.)
Rolling against a hard surface: Simply roll the lemons back and forth against a hard surface. You can use a cutting board or even your kitchen table as the hard surface. By rolling the citrus, the pulp and membrane of the fruit soften, which leads to juices being released. (This tip also works great for juicing limes.)
Heat in the microwave: Pop your lemons in the microwave for approximately 10 – 20 seconds. It will soften the fruit, making it much easier to squeeze.
Heat on the stove: (Don’t worry, you won’t be cooking the lemons, just warming them up!) Place your lemons in a pot of warm water on the stove. Make sure that you do not overheat your lemons. Do this by preventing the water from boiling. This method softens the fruit, which will make it easier to squeeze the juice out of the lemons.
Slice lemons lengthwise: Believe it or not, the way that you cut a lemon matters. Cutting the lemon lengthwise will result in the maximum amount of juice to be squeezed. Slicing the lemons lengthwise exposes more of the fruit’s pulp, which will allow for more juices to be extracted.
Pierce with a fork: Cut the lemon in half (make sure it is sliced lengthwise), then pierce the fruit with the tips of a fork until all the juices have been squeezed out.
Five Techniques on How to Juice a Lemon Without a Juicer
Once you have prepped your lemons, it is time to choose one of the following techniques to get more juice out of this delicious fruit without the need for a juicer.
Hands-Only Technique
Tools required:
- Dish or container
- Knife
- Spoon
Steps:
- Cut the lemon in half with your knife.
- Using both hands, squeeze one-half of the lemon above a bowl.
- Rotate the lemon while squeezing.
- Remove any seeds that may fall into the bowl with a spoon.
Hand Blender Technique
Tools required:
- Hand bender
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Mixing bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Strainer
- Large dish or container
Steps:
- Remove the lemon peel.
- Cut the lemons into equal quarters.
- Place quarters in a mixing bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Cut a hole in the plastic wrap allowing the hand blender to fit in the bowl.
- Blend for approximately 20 seconds to a minute.
- Strain the juice using a sieve or strainer to remove excess pulp and seeds.
Pot Technique
Tools required:
- Deep pot
- Water
- Hand masher
- Cheesecloth
- Large bowl or container
Steps:
- Remove the lemon peel and cut the lemon in half.
- Add the halves to a pot, just covering it with a little water and stir occasionally.
- Set the pot on low heat, allowing the lemons to simmer.
- Once it begins to simmer, then use the hand masher to juice the lemons.
- Using a cheesecloth, finely squeeze out the lemon juice whilst catching the chunks of pulp or seeds in the cheesecloth.
Tongs Method
Tools required:
- Large Tongs
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Large bowl or container
- Strainer
Steps:
- Cut the lemon in half.
- Place the dish under a sieve or a filter to catch excess pulp and seeds.
- Place the lemon half between the end half of the tons handles with the pulp facing the sieve and squeeze on the tongs.
- Continuously rotate the lemon, squeezing it until there is no more juice left to squeeze out.
Skewer Method
Tools required:
- Skewer or toothpick
- Large dish or container
Steps:
- Stick in a skewer or toothpick at the end of the lemon until you reach 2/3 of the lemon. (Make sure it is the end opposite to the stem)
- Over a dish, remove the skewer and squeeze the lemon, so the lemon juice falls into the dish.
- Roll the lemon on a hard surface and squeeze it again over the dish until all the juice has come out.
Tips:
Storage: Store freshly squeezed lemon juice in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for up to 74 hours.
Meyer lemons: While Meyer lemons are a hybrid fruit, they can be juiced using the same techniques as a regular lemon.
Limes: When juicing a lime without a juicer, you can use the hand-only technique, skewer technique, and tongs technique. A few recipes call for both lemon and lime juice, so it could be beneficial to choose a technique that can be used for both.
Lemon zest: Always try to make use of lemon zest. A few recipes ask for zest because it has a fresh flavour.
Seeds: Remove all seeds from the juice to avoid bitter tastes in your foods.
Juicing Lemons Made Easy
In conclusion, you do not need to purchase a juicer if you would like to juice lemons. These five juicing techniques will help you get as much juice out of your lemons as possible. We recommend that you find the technique that best works for you and yields the most juice.
Prepping citrus is much more important and worthwhile than having a juicer. Even if you later decide that you want to buy a juicer, these prepping tips will come in handy and are essential to squeeze out as much of the lemon juice from the citrus fruit.
Don’t let the thought of not having a juicer stop you from trying out some delicious meals that require fresh lemon juice. Give it a go and get squeezing! These techniques are easy and worth trying.
And if you have any other tips or tricks, let us know in the comments below!
