Get More Juice Out of Limes and Lemons

Here’s a tip from  fellow Hillbilly Housewife reader about getting more juice out of lemons and limes.

(Edited for Spelling). Place the fruit in the microwave oven for approximately 35-50 seconds. Let them cool and set aside till you can pick them up without burning your hands. This works great especially if you’re weak or have sore hands. The amount of juice is almost doubled.

From The Hillbilly Housewife

As expensive as lemons and limes are getting, it’s important to get as much juice out as we can when we’re using them in baking, cooking or fixing a big batch of lemonade. The reader tip is a great and I’ve done this a few times in the past. It works great and is a quick and easy way to get more of that citrus flavor out.

A commenter asked about the loss of vitamin C from the microwaving. I think the time period is short enough to not impact vitamin C too much (that’s just a guess though, so take that with a grain of salt). Other micronutrients however may not fare as well. As a rule, I prefer not to do this and when possible, I roll the lemons or limes on the counter for a minute or two and then juice them.

Yes, this requires a little extra elbow grease and may not be the best solution for everyone, but it works and there’s no risk of losing nutrition.