Orange Juice Recipe

Prepare oranges

Wash the oranges thoroughly under cool running water to remove any residues. Pat them dry with a clean towel. Roll each orange firmly on the countertop using the palm of your hand (apply gentle pressure) for 20–30 seconds to loosen the juices.

Cut and juice

Cut each orange in half crosswise. Using a manual citrus juicer or an electric citrus reamer, juice all halves into a bowl or pitcher. If using a blender, peel the oranges (remove as much pith as possible to reduce bitterness), break into segments, and pulse briefly until mostly liquid.

Strain (optional)

If you prefer pulp-free juice, pour the freshly extracted juice through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pitcher, pressing with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. For pulpy juice, skip this step or reserve some pulp to add back.

Adjust consistency and sweetness

Taste the juice. If it's too strong or thick, stir in up to 1 cup cold water gradually until you reach your preferred strength (start with 1/4 cup). If the oranges are not very sweet, dissolve the optional granulated sugar in a tablespoon of warm water and stir into the juice, or add the sugar directly and stir until dissolved. Add a pinch of salt if desired to brighten flavor.

Chill and serve

Add ice cubes to glasses or to the pitcher to chill the juice quickly. Pour the juice into serving glasses over ice if desired. Garnish each glass with a mint leaf or a thin orange wheel.

Storage

Store any leftover fresh orange juice in a sealed container in the refrigerator and consume within 48 hours for best flavor. Shake or stir before serving, as natural separation will occur.