Verse Jus D' Orange Recipe

Prepare oranges

Wash the oranges thoroughly. Roll each orange firmly on the counter with the palm of your hand to loosen juices. Cut each orange in half crosswise.

Juice the oranges using a manual citrus juicer or an electric juicer until you have approximately 3 to 3 1/2 cups (about 720–840 ml) of fresh orange juice. Strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher to remove pulp and seeds for a smooth, classic verse jus d'orange.

Add the cold water to the strained orange juice to adjust intensity — this will produce a balanced, not overly sweet concentrate. Stir to combine.

In a small bowl, dissolve the granulated sugar and fine sea salt into 2 tablespoons of the orange juice (warmed briefly if needed) then return the mixture to the pitcher and stir until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust sweetness: add up to 1 additional tablespoon sugar if the oranges are particularly tart.

Add the fresh lemon juice (1 tablespoon) and fresh lime juice (1 teaspoon) to the pitcher. These acids brighten the flavor and balance sweetness.

If using, grate the orange zest directly into the juice for extra aromatic oil and stir gently.

Chill the juice in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let flavors marry. For immediate serving, prepare glasses with ice cubes.

Before serving, give the pitcher a final stir. Pour the chilled verse jus d'orange over ice in individual glasses. Garnish each glass with a mint sprig and a thin orange wheel or twist if desired.

Serve cold. Leftover juice will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours; stir before serving.