The Best Way to Juice a Lemon

Remove the juice from a fresh lemon for cooking or cleaning. Methods exist that go beyond a juicer to make it easier to extract more juice from the fruit. Lemons with thinner peels have more juice, according to lemonjuice.org. The exact amount of juice you can expect to extract depends on the size of the lemon. Medium lemons yield about three tablespoons, according to lemonjuice.org. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1

Poke 8-12 small holes in the peel of the lemon with a fork. Put the lemon in the microwave. Warm for 15-30 seconds, or until the lemon is warm. The larger the lemon, the more time it takes to warm. Start with 15 seconds. Microwave longer if needed.

2

Roll the lemon on a flat surface with the palm of your hand to soften it. Roll it until the lemon is soft.

3

Place the softened lemon on a cutting board. Cut it in half.

4

Set one half aside. Place the other half, pulp side down, on a hand juicer. Slowly push the lemon half down on the juicer, twisting slowly. This releases the juice, which strains into the collection bowl underneath.

5

To remove the juice without a juicer, set the lemon on the cutting board. Cut each half in half once more. Hold each piece over a bowl and squeeze with your hands.