How To Easily Get More Juice From Lemons — No Tools Required

In my kitchen, there are a couple of tools built specifically to juice lemons. One of them is a handheld citrus press where you have to clamp down on a halved lemon that sits in the half-globe-shaped basket. It gets the job done, but I've caught a stray citrus squirt in the eye more than once when the seeds clog up the holes after a firm squeeze. My other option is a manual citrus grinder that sits on top of a measuring cup, which is ideal for getting the precise amount of lemon juice to match what's called for in recipes. Both work great, but I try to avoid using them most of the time so I'll have one less thing to clean.

My go-to move, which also helps squeeze out more lemon without the need for tools, is actually the age-old technique of rolling the lemon on the counter with some pressure from your palm. After rolling, simply cut it lengthwise and squeeze the lemon from both ends to maximize your juice potential. You can also use your barbecue tongs to juice the lemons if needed. 

Rolling the lemon works by breaking down the juice vesicles that hold the liquid inside. When you cut the lemon longways, the juice and seeds all come out with ease. Rolling isn't the only way to break down those vesicles, though. You can freeze it, microwave it, or soak it in hot water before rolling to get even more juice from the fruit.

The freeze and thaw method for whole lemons expands the water inside, causing the vesicles to burst, resulting in a juicy fruit while preserving the flavor for months. This method requires some planning ahead because you have to wait for them to thaw, but it's a great way to store lemons you don't want to waste. Another way to break down the vesicles is to microwave the lemons for about 20 seconds, warming them just enough to get more juice out of them, but be careful not to nuke the lemons for too long. That works well in some recipes, but not all — you don't want to drizzle warm juice and wilt your fresh greens. Soaking lemons in a bowl of hot water for half an hour works the same way as well. When you're cooking in a crunch and not sure about the ripeness of your lemons, it helps to have multiple techniques in your kitchen toolkit.