Home cooks often have plenty of tricks up their sleeves, especially when it comes to extracting the maximum amount of juice from lemons or limes.
Common tips suggest warming the fruit in the microwave or rolling it on the counter while applying slight pressure. Combining these two methods, however, is the most effective approach.
Step-by-step method:
- Roll the Lemon: Firmly press the lemon against the counter and roll it back and forth. This helps break down the internal vacuoles, making the juice easier to release.
- Heat in the Microwave: Place the lemon in the microwave and warm it briefly to make it softer. This additional step allows the lemon to release even more juice.
These steps are necessary only if you’re squeezing the lemon by hand. If you have a juicer, these preparations are unnecessary, as it will extract all the juice without extra effort.