Juicers have become common items in kitchens. They may even be considered an essential tool by enthusiasts. You probably will not use an electric appliance when you need one or two squeezes of citrus juice, but for a large number of oranges or lemons, a juicer will be the best tool to use.
According to the Food and Drug Administration of the United States, all produce should be washed under cold running water, even if you are going to peel it. Contaminants can be transferred via your fingers or a knife from the skin to the edible part of the fruit.
It is important to know how to put citrus fruit in a juicer to get the best results. Most electric appliances can handle fruit without peeling it. However, the acerbic oils in citrus peel can give the juice an unpleasant taste. Preparing the oranges or lemons for juicing depends entirely on the tool or appliance you plan on using.
Preparing fruit for juicing
If you want to get the most liquids out of an orange or a lemon, you can roll or crush the fruit before juicing it. On the show, Fast food My Way, the presenter Jacques Pepin suggests that microwaving the citrus fruit for approximately 10 seconds before juicing, will allow you to extract more liquid from it. According to Pepin, the membranes in the fruit rupture when the microwaves enter the orange or lemon.
Alternatively, some people strongly believe in freezing the citrus fruit first and then microwaving it for 30 to 60 seconds is the best way to extract juice. The juice of the orange or lemon will expand when it freezes and breaks the membranes. It is super-easy to squeeze the juice out of the fruit once you have microwaved it, but very time-consuming and impractical. You may want to make a cocktail or mocktail for unexpected guests, and the frozen fruit method will take too long. On the other hand, fruits in the freezer do not spoil.
Different juicers and methods and how to put citrus fruit in juicer
A citrus press does not require any special technique and little preparation. It is important to know how to put citrus fruit in juicer to get the best results. You cut the fruit in half, place it on the cone and bring the handle down. Citrus presses usually produce relatively seed- and pulp-free juice.
A citrus squeezer does not require much effort either. You need to cut the fruit in half and then simply place the lemon or orange in the cup of the tool so that the peel faces the curve of the press. This tool requires you to use both hands. You simply bring both handles together and squeeze the juice directly into a measuring cup, cocktail shaker or any other container.
Preparing and placing citrus fruit in a manual reamer works more or less the same as a squeezer. You cut the oranges or lemons in half and place them on the cone with the cut side facing down. Hold one half in your hand and press it into the reamer while twisting and rotating the fruit until all the juice is released. You may find this kitchen tool to be messier than a squeezer, but it does the trick.
A citrus press is the perfect appliance if you need larger volumes of juice. The citrus press requires a little more effort. Cut the fruit in half and place one-half at a time on the reamer with the cut side facing down. Bring the handle down until the juice is released. With most of these appliances, the pulp and seeds will remain in the strainer.
Electric juicers often offer a citrus attachment. You only need to cut the citrus in half and place it with the pulp side on the reamer. When pressure is applied, the reamer will start rotating and extract the juice out of the fruit. The process is quick and effortless.
Juicing with or without the peel
Juicing oranges and lemons with the peel is an easy option. Put quartered or halved fruit through the juicer. However, this process may give the juice an unpleasant and bitter taste. The peels are high in super-flavonoids, but most people prefer not to mix the oils of the skin with the juice. Peeling lemons or oranges can be time consuming.
A hand-held press juicer is great for juicing a variety of fruits and vegetables without even peeling them. For example, cucumber pieces can be juiced without removing the skin. The skins contain potassium, magnesium and silica, making it perfect for health reasons.
Purple and dark grapes offer antioxidants that protect the body against free-radical damage and boost enzyme activity. Simply rinse the fruit and put it in the press juicer.
Melons are great to juice in a hand press. The rinds are the areas where the enzymes and minerals are. Juicing melons with the skin will not change the wonderful fresh taste of the liquid.
Cantaloupe, on the other hand, should be peeled before juicing it. The porous skin often makes it a suitable home for pesticides, bacteria and mold. The skin will affect the taste of the juice.
A hand-held press juicer is also perfect for juicing kiwi. The skin is high in antioxidants. You do not need to peel the kiwi before juicing; the anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory properties are located in the skin.
Conclusion
It is important to know how to put citrus fruit in juicer to get the best results. A citrus press is the perfect appliance if you need larger volumes of juice. A hand-held juicer is great for a healthy but delicious lifestyle.