Orange Juice Recipe

Fresh Orange Juice

1. 1

   Prepare the oranges

   Wash the oranges under cool running water and dry them. Roll each orange on the countertop with the palm of your hand, pressing firmly to help release the juices. Cut each orange in half crosswise.

2. 2

   Juice the oranges

   Using a handheld citrus reamer, electric citrus juicer, or countertop juicer, juice all orange halves into a large measuring cup or bowl. If using a blender, peel the oranges (remove as much pith as possible), segment them, discard seeds, and blend briefly until pulpy. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer pulp-free juice; press down on solids with a spoon to extract more liquid.

3. 3

   Combine and adjust

   Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional) to brighten flavor. Add 1 teaspoon granulated sugar if the oranges are not sweet enough—stir until dissolved. Taste and adjust: add up to 1–2 teaspoons sugar or an extra tablespoon lemon juice as needed.

4. 4

   Dilute and chill

   If the juice is very concentrated or pulpy, add up to 1 cup cold water gradually, tasting until you reach the desired intensity. For a colder drink, add 1 cup ice cubes directly to the pitcher or serve the juice over ice in individual glasses.

5. 5

   Serve

   Pour the orange juice into glasses. Garnish each glass with an orange slice or a sprig of mint if desired. Serve immediately for best freshness and flavor.

6. 6

   Storage

   Transfer any leftover juice to an airtight container and refrigerate. Fresh-squeezed orange juice is best consumed within 24–48 hours; shake or stir before serving because natural separation will occur.