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You’ve been juicing lemons wrong your whole life

Resist the urge to do this!

When it comes to juicing lemons, you can expect about three to five tablespoons of lemon juice from the average lemon – if juiced correctly. 

If, like us, you’ve been juicing lemons with a lemon squeezer wrong your whole life, then you’ve probably been throwing delicious citrus juice in the bin.

How to use a lemon squeezer

In a video on Blue Flame Kitchen’s YouTube channel, a chef shows you the best way to juice lemons with a hand-held lemon squeezer. He explains explains that most people place the fruit into the device the wrong way! 

“One thing people often get wrong is the direction of the lemon or lime,” he says. 

“Resist the urge to place the round bottom of the fruit into the round bottom of the squeezer.

“The opposite is correct.”

Although this way feels completely unatural, you will get the most juice from your citrus fruit this way. 

how to use a lemon juicer
(Credit: Getty) (Credit: Getty)

People were quick to comment on the video, with many thanking the chef for helping to settle an argument on the correct way to squeeze a lemon. 

“I came here to settle an argument with my girlfriend about the way the lemon is supposed to go. Thanks,” wrote one happy viewer.

Another said: “Same here, lol once again, I was correct. Thank you, YouTube!!”

“I mean, it looks like it would go the other way, lol,” conceded another. And we completely agree.  

“I just tried to use mine, and I wondered why the holes on the bottom of the lemon fit that way perfectly, and the peel covers it. Makes sense,” another person realised. 

how to juice lemons with a lemon squeezer
(Credit: Getty) (Credit: Getty)

How do you soften lemons before juicing?

While having the lemon or lime facing the right way in the hand-held juicer helps to extract more juice, there’s another straightforward tip you can try. Before juicing your lemon, spend ten seconds firmly rolling the lemon around on the bench. This will bruise the fruit, loosening up the juice so it’s ready to be juiced. 

how to juice limes

How to get all of the juice out of a lemon?

Another tip for getting all the juice out of a lemon is to put it in the microwave for 30 seconds before juicing. It is similar to rolling the lemon on the bench, causing some of the membranes inside to burst and release their juice.

Watch: How to get all the juice out of a lemon without cutting it

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How to juice a lemon without a juicer?

No juicer? No worries! It is possible to get a decent amount of juice without a juicer; all you need is a skewer. Read our article on how to juice a lemon without a juicer here. 

You might also need:

Recipes for fresh lemons

12 best lemon dessert recipes

Lemon and garlic chicken 

Best lemon cheesecake recipes

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