Did you know that in addition to drinking, lemon juice or juice can also be processed into cooking or even house cleaning fluids? For health reasons, lemon juice can be consumed as a natural cough and sore throat remedy. When the weather is very hot, lemon juice can be processed into a delicious and refreshing lemonade. The best part, fresh lemon juice you can easily make yourself at home, you know! The trick, you just need to slice a lemon and squeeze the juice. Because fresh lemon juice goes stale very easily, try processing it into a syrup with a mixture of sugar to make it last longer. After tasting the deliciousness and freshness of homemade lemon juice, you won't want to go back to factory-made lemon juice again!
Ingredients
Squeeze Lemon
- 6 lemons
- 6 tsp. (25 grams) granulated sugar (optional)
- 1.4 liters of water (optional)
Making Lemon Syrup
- 6 lemons
- 1 tbsp. lemon peel
- 1, 2 liters of water
- 400 grams of sugar
Step
Method 1 of 3: Squeeze Lemon
Step 1. Slice the lemon with a very sharp knife
Most people tend to cut lemons wide. In fact, lemons are easier to squeeze if they are cut lengthwise. As a result, more fruit juice is produced.
Every lemon will produce about 60-80 ml of juice.
Step 2. Squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl manually
First of all, place a bowl on the kitchen table, then squeeze the lemon pieces one by one gradually. Most of the juice should flow out even if the lemon is only gently pressed. Once no more juice comes out, press harder on the lemon to remove any remaining juice. Finish the process by stabbing the lemon flesh with a fork, then turning it gently to remove any juices that are still trapped there.
If you'd like, you can place a sieve over the bowl and squeeze the lemon through the sieve to prevent the seeds from getting into the bowl. Otherwise, you will have to take the lemon seeds one by one along with the pulp which has been squeezed into the bowl manually
Step 3. Squeeze the lemons with an orange squeezer or a manual juicer, if desired
First of all, place the lemon wedge with the fleshy side facing down in the space provided. After that, press the handle of the tool to crush the lemon flesh and extract the juices. If your utensil is round, simply push the lemon pulp into the protruding center of the utensil, then rotate the lemon left and right while continuing to press to release the juices.
The orange squeezer is the easiest type of juicer to operate. Since this method is not able to filter the pulp that comes from the flesh of the lemon, don't forget to install a sieve to catch the pulp that is also squeezed out
Step 4. Put the lemons in an electric juicer if you don't mind the pulp
Basically, an electric juicer has a similar function to a manual juicer. To use it, you just need to push the lemon into the hole provided, then turn on the juicer. The jagged texture of the inside of the pit will tear the lemon flesh and remove as much of the juice as is trapped inside. The only drawback of an electric juicer is its inability to filter the pulp from the lemon pulp. As a result, the resulting juice texture is not really smooth.
- If you want the juice to be completely free of pulp, don't forget to filter it with a special filter cloth.
- Some types of blenders and mixers are equipped with a juicer device. To squeeze lemons easily and quickly, you just need to connect the device with a blender or mixer and process the lemons until the juice is squeezed out.
Step 5. Mix water and sugar into a juice that tastes too sour
In fact, the juice is ready to be consumed or processed after being squeezed, especially if what you are using is a large lemon with a high juice content and not too sour taste. To make sure the taste of the lemon juice is to your liking, try tasting it. If the taste is too strong or sour, add about 1 tsp. (4 grams) sugar for each lemon used. If you wish, you can also dilute the texture of the juice by adding about 250 ml of water for each lemon.
- Water and sugar make the juice easier to consume or make into food, especially if the lemon flavor is very strong or sour. However, be aware that lemon varieties that contain very high levels of juice, such as Meyer lemons, already have a sweet and unique taste so they are best consumed as a drink, rather than mixed into dishes.
- To avoid changing the taste of the juice too much, add water and sugar in small amounts gradually, and don't forget to taste the juice afterwards.
Step 6. Store the juice in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Pour the lemon juice into a sealed container and label the surface with the date the juice was packaged. Because lemon juice tastes bitter, it's very easy to freeze it if you don't want to eat it right away. Generally, the quality of the juice will not change for a maximum of 4 months if stored in the freezer.
- Basically, lemon juice won't go stale, but its flavor may diminish over time. Therefore, it is best to use up the juice stored in the refrigerator within 3 days. Even if stored in the freezer, the taste and quality of the juice will still decrease over time.
- To thaw frozen lemon juice, all you have to do is let it sit at room temperature for up to an hour, or warm it up in the microwave on low.
Method 2 of 3: Making Lemon Syrup
Step 1. Squeeze 6 lemons into a small glass bowl or glass
Soften frozen lemons by heating them in the microwave for a few moments. After that, roll the lemons on a cutting board to make the juice easier to remove. After that, split the lemon and squeeze out as much juice as you can get out of it. If necessary, use a fork or a citrus squeezer to drain more of the juice. Most likely, you will get about 400 ml of fresh lemon juice this way.
Add a serving of lemon if the juice produced is not much. Basically, each lemon can produce about 60-80 ml of juice
Step 2. Grate a fresh lemon zest and put it in a saucepan
For this recipe, you will need to grate about 1 tbsp. (6 grams) lemon zest with the help of a grater or other tool that offers similar benefits. To avoid mixing with the juice, put the grated lemon zest in a separate saucepan.
- When grating the lemon zest, make sure that the white layer is not grated, as it is very bitter and can affect the taste of your lemon juice.
- Although not essential to use, grated lemon zest will make the taste of lemon juice stronger and of course more delicious when eaten.
Step 3. Combine water and sugar with grated lemon zest in a saucepan
Pour about 250 ml of water into a pot of grated lemon zest, then add about 400 grams of sugar. If you want the lemon juice to taste sweeter, add another 50 grams of sugar.
Step 4. Heat the pan on the stove over medium heat until small bubbles appear on the surface
Turn on the stove and wait until the water temperature heats up and small bubbles appear on the surface. If measured with a thermometer, make sure the water has reached a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius. Also, make sure the water has been steaming and bubbles consistently.
If you don't want to squeeze the lemons from scratch, use your free time to wait for the water to heat up. However, make sure the condition of the water is continuously monitored so that it doesn't overflow out of the pot, OK
Step 5. Heat and stir the sugar water for 4 minutes until the sugar dissolves
Use a spoon or spatula to stir the water until the sugar is completely dissolved, then set the pot aside until it's time to use.
- Do not forget to turn off the stove after this condition is reached.
- The mixture will produce a lemon-flavored syrup that can be used to enhance the taste of drinks or frozen to be processed into lemonade.
Step 6. Pour the lemon juice into the pot
Add the fresh lemon juice to the water and sugar mixture, then stir all the ingredients until well combined. After that, taste it. If it's to your liking, then the lemon syrup is ready to go! To process it into lemonade, you only need to mix it with 1 liter of warm water.
If you don't use the syrup right away, don't forget to store it in a sterilized can
Step 7. Put the lemon juice in the refrigerator or freezer to cool it down
If not consumed immediately, put the juice in a closed container and remember to label the surface with the date of packaging. In particular, the taste of the juice will still be delicious if it is stored for a maximum of 3 days in the refrigerator or 4 months in the freezer.
This type of lemon juice is actually a lemonade made from lemon syrup, so it is better to drink it straight instead of mixing it into cooking
Step 8. Drink or use chilled lemon juice
Once mixed with enough water, lemon juice can be used up in 30 minutes. If you want to be processed into cooking, immediately use freshly ripe lemon syrup. In particular, the syrup can be drizzled onto the surface of cakes or over fried fish pieces, and mixed into a variety of smoothies and drinks.
Lemon juice is often used to soak fish or meat, mainly because the acid content in it is effective in enriching the taste of the meat and removing the fishy smell
Method 3 of 3: Selecting and Storing Lemons
Step 1. Choose a lemon variety that feels heavy to the touch so that you get more juice
In addition to Meyer lemons which contain very high juice, you can also use Fino, Lapithkiotiki, or Primofiori lemons which have similar characteristics. Since Meyer lemons tend to be sweet in taste, choose another variety if you prefer a sour taste. Although the Meyer variety is smaller than other lemon varieties sold in supermarkets, the Meyer lemon actually feels quite heavy when compared to other lemons of its size. For the best variety, try holding the lemon and feeling its weight, then choose the heaviest lemon you can find for more juice.
Eureka and Lisbon are the lemon varieties available all year round and most commonly found in supermarkets. Characteristically, both varieties are larger and paler in color than the Meyer variety, but the taste is very sour. If using this type of lemon, add water and sugar to sweeten the taste
Step 2. Choose a lemon that feels soft but not mushy when pressed
Hold the lemon and gently press it with your fingers. Ideally, a lemon that feels soft when pressed has a high juice content and can be squeezed right after. In addition, lemon is also good to use if the skin is dark yellow and looks smooth.
- Lemons that are too soft are generally stale and should be avoided. Also, avoid lemons that are too hard or look wrinkled.
- Lemons with a light or greenish rind tend to have a higher acid content. Although it can still be used, actually a ripe lemon will be easier to squeeze, it will also have a more delicious taste.
Step 3. Freeze the lemons until it's time to squeeze
Place the lemons in a plastic clip bag, then remove as much air as possible from the bag before closing and storing them in the freezer. In fact, lemons will be easier to squeeze after they have been left in the freezer for a while. Plus, this method will also increase the shelf life of your lemons so you can use them all year round!
Basically, lemons don't go stale when stored in the freezer. However, the texture will dry out over time. Therefore, it is best to use lemon within 3 months to maximize its quality
Step 4. Melt the lemon by heating it in the microwave for 30 seconds
When ready to use, remove the frozen lemon from the bag and place it in the microwave. Then, heat the lemons on low heat until they reach room temperature, making sure the lemons are soft enough to press before squeezing them.
Step 5. Press and roll the lemons on a cutting board to soften the texture of the flesh and make the juices come out easier
The trick, simply place the lemon on the cutting board, then press the surface and roll it with enough force on the cutting board as you are moving the rolling pin. Roll each lemon for 1-2 minutes or until the flesh is tender. This way, the membrane inside the lemon will be torn off so that the juices inside can come out more easily when squeezed.
- To prevent juice from dripping onto the cutting board, try covering the cutting board with a paper towel or rolling a lemon on a lined kitchen counter.
- Reluctant to roll a lemon on a cutting board? Try poking the surface a few times with a sharp knife or peeling the skin off, though these options are more inconvenient and will make your kitchen much dirtier afterwards.
- If you have a special tool for squeezing citrus fruits, you don't need to roll the lemons on a cutting board because they are efficient enough to drain the lemon juice to the maximum!
Tips
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice or sugar used to suit your taste buds. If you prefer a sweeter taste, use more sugar. Conversely, if you prefer a sour taste, use more lemon juice.
- If you want a lemonade to taste, try mixing lemon juice with other ingredients such as fresh berries or herbs like mint.
- Other types of citrus fruit, such as limes, can also be squeezed in the same way.
- Fresh lime juice is commonly used to replace lemon juice in recipes. If you don't like the taste of lemon, you can also get the same benefits from using vinegar or fermenting wine.
