Squeezing Lemons Without a Juicer

 

Here is an easy, quick tip for squeezing lemons without a juicer that I just had to pass along.  I was thinking about buying another lemon/lime squeezer.  The electric juicer I have is awesome, easy, and it works wonderfully once I get it set up.  It is actually a juicer that my husband received from a relative and it's been around quite a few years.  It still works great and looks like new.  We keep it in the original box in the pantry, and when I want to use it, I have to get it down off the shelf, and sometimes this can be a bit of a production.  So, I only do this if I have several lemons/limes or even oranges to juice.   Being on the hunt for an easier and helpful way to do this, I was all set to buy another handheld juicer, but then realized I didn't have to.

Enter the kitchen tongs.

What you will love about this technique is that you most likely already have this utensil in your kitchen.  Yay!  Nothing to go out and buy.  If you don't have kitchen tongs, my suggestion is to put them on your list to get as they are a great all-purpose item to have on hand.  I use them for many things and would be lost without them.  Kitchen tongs easily grab spaghetti or corn on the cob from a pot of hot water.  They make tossing a stir fry or a salad that much easier.  I even use mine to grab and pull the aluminum foil off of dishes like lasagna while still in the oven.  If not, and I try to grab the aluminum foil with my fingers - ouch, the steam can really burn.

 

Here's what you do - Okay, you will gather your lemon, cut in half, your kitchen tongs, a small bowl, and a strainer to fit the bowl.  Simply, place the lemon between the tongs as shown in the photo.  It works the best with really rip, somewhat soft lemons.  In this recipe, I use Meyer lemons and often use this method.

Then squeeze the tongs tightly and let the juice fall into the strainer.  I move the tongs to different places on the lemon to get all the juice.

 

When the lemon is flat and the juice has been released, you are done.  How easy was that?

Next, grab the next lemon piece and repeat the squeezing process.  This makes whipping up salad dressings for my favorite salads on the fly so much easier.

I have been loving this technique and hope it helps you too!  We are all looking for new tips and ideas to help us with our busy lives.

One of my favorite recipes is these pancakes, and an ingredient in the recipe is lemon juice.  And I love this Lemonade.  It seems I am always juicing lemons, so a quick method is necessary.

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