Grapefruit Juice Recipe

Prepare the fruit

Rinse the grapefruits under cool water. On a hard surface, roll each grapefruit firmly with the palm of your hand to break up the membranes — this makes them easier to juice.

Extract the juice

Cut each grapefruit in half crosswise. Using a manual or electric citrus juicer, juice all halves into a bowl or measuring cup. Expect about 2 to 3 cups of raw grapefruit juice from 8 medium grapefruits; if you prefer a smoother juice, pour the juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container and press the pulp with the back of a spoon to extract extra liquid. Discard seeds and larger bits of pulp.

Balance bitterness

Add the fine sea salt (0.125 tsp) to the freshly squeezed juice and stir briefly — the small amount of salt reduces bitterness and brightens flavor. Taste and adjust salt by tiny increments only if needed.

Make quick simple syrup

Combine the granulated sugar (0.33 cups) and hot water (0.33 cups) in a small heatproof container or saucepan. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture is clear. Let the syrup cool to room temperature (about 5 minutes).

Sweeten and dilute the juice

Measure the strained grapefruit juice. Stir in the cooled simple syrup a little at a time, tasting as you go to reach your preferred sweetness (start with half the syrup, then add more if needed). Once sweetened, add the cold water (2 cups) to the juice to dilute to a balanced drinking strength. If you'd like a fizzy version, substitute up to 1 cup of the cold water with sparkling water and add it just before serving to preserve carbonation.

Adjust to taste

Taste the diluted juice. If the juice still tastes too tart, add up to 1–2 tablespoons more simple syrup (or a splash of lime syrup) and re-taste. If it is flat, add a squeeze of the lime (see Garnish & Serve) for brightness. Keep adjustments small and incremental.

Chill and prepare glassware

Fill a pitcher with the finished juice and chill briefly, or prepare serving glasses by dividing the ice cubes (2 cups) among 4 glasses.

Finish and garnish

Pour the chilled grapefruit juice over the ice. If you opted for sparkling water, add it now and stir gently to combine. Cut the lime in half; squeeze a light wedge into each glass for extra brightness and drop the wedge in as a garnish. Tuck a mint sprig into each glass for aroma.

Serve

Serve immediately while chilled. If making ahead, keep the base juice refrigerated and add ice, sparkling water, and mint just before serving.