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Ingredients
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Main
Method
Main
Prepare fruit
Wash the oranges thoroughly under cool running water to remove any dirt or residue. Pat them dry with a clean towel.
Roll and halve
On a cutting board, roll each orange firmly under your palm for 20–30 seconds to loosen the juices. Cut the oranges in half crosswise.
Juice the oranges
Use a manual citrus juicer, handheld reamer, or electric juicer to extract juice from each orange half into a large pitcher. Press and twist to get as much juice as possible. You should yield about 2 to 2.5 cups of fresh juice from 6 medium oranges.
Strain (optional)
If you prefer pulp-free juice, pour the freshly squeezed juice through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean container, pressing on the solids to extract remaining liquid and discard the pulp. If you like pulp, skip this step.
Adjust consistency and sweetness
If the juice is very strong or too thick, stir in up to 1/2 cup cold water to taste (this recipe calls for 1/2 cup). Taste the juice and, if desired, dissolve up to 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (start with 1/2 tsp for less sweetness) into a small amount of warm water and add to the juice. Add a small pinch of salt to brighten the flavor if desired. Stir well until sugar dissolves.
Chill and serve
Add ice cubes to individual glasses or to the pitcher. Pour the orange juice over ice, garnish with fresh mint leaves if using, and serve immediately. Fresh juice is best consumed within 24–48 hours refrigerated in a sealed container.