Natural Orange Juice Recipe

Prepare fruit

Wash the oranges under cold running water to remove any residues. Pat them dry. Roll each orange firmly on the countertop with the palm of your hand to soften the fruit and make juicing easier.

Cut and juice

Cut each orange in half crosswise. Using a manual citrus juicer, reamer, or electric juicer, juice all orange halves into a bowl or pitcher. If you prefer minimal pulp, use a strainer to catch seeds and excess pith as you juice.

Measure and adjust

Pour the freshly extracted orange juice through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pitcher to remove remaining seeds and large pulp, if desired. Measure the volume of juice. For a smoother texture and to stretch the yield slightly, add up to 1 cup of cold water and stir. Taste the juice.

Sweeten and brighten (optional)

If the juice tastes tart or you prefer a sweeter drink, dissolve the granulated sugar (start with 1 tablespoon) into a tablespoon of warm water and stir into the juice until fully dissolved. Add the fresh lemon juice (about 1 teaspoon) if you want extra brightness. Adjust sugar or water in small increments, tasting after each addition until you reach the desired balance.

Chill and serve

Refrigerate the juice for at least 15 minutes to chill, or serve immediately over ice cubes. Garnish each glass with an orange slice or a mint sprig if desired. Stir before pouring if the juice has separated slightly.

Storage

Store leftover juice in an airtight container or pitcher in the refrigerator and consume within 48 hours for best flavor and minimal oxidation. Stir or shake gently before serving as natural separation may occur.