The Convenient (And Affordable) Lemon Juicing Hack That's Almost As Good As A Machine

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If you enjoy cooking, then you know what a small amount of lemon juice can do to liven up your food. However, to find the best way to remove every last ounce of juice from these precious fruits, you may feel pressure to buy yet another expensive kitchen gadget to get the job done. Fortunately though, as long as you own a solid pair of kitchen tongs, you don't need to spend your money on special juicing equipment. Considering the total amount of juice in a single lime is around 2 tablespoons at best, having the right tools to extract the maximum amount of juice from your next batch of citrus fruits is essential.

Surprisingly though, with a little maneuvering, kitchen tongs can get the job done with ease. To test this hack for yourself, cut a lemon and position one half between the arms of your tongs. Point the fruit flesh-side down, toward the bowl or plate you want the juice to fall. Then, with hands on both ends of your tongs, squeeze the arms together with maximum force, or until all the lemon juice drips out.

Keep in mind though, for stellar results, you first need to choose the absolute best lemons for juicing at the store. Particularly, look for thin-skinned lemons that feel heavy in your hands. Especially when it comes to juicing lemons with kitchen tongs, there are even more tips worth following.

Besides selecting juicy fruits, make sure to cut your lemons directly in half before juicing. While juicing may work with smaller pieces, there's a greater risk of your fruit slipping through the arms and down into your plate or bowl. Also, make sure you're using a pair of tongs with sturdy, metal arms. That being said, if you're in the market to buy a new pair, choose options like the OXO Good Grips 9-inch Stainless Steel Locking Tongs from Amazon. The metal rim behind each arm is an efficient way to keep lemons locked in place during the juicing process.

When it comes to the act of juicing, to ensure your next meal isn't studded with lemon seeds, juice your lemons over a separate bowl and remove the seeds with a spoon. You can also remove the seeds by placing a strainer bowl over your skillet or mixing bowl like the DOPMEP Fine Mesh Strainer from Amazon.

Lastly, while this hack is indeed effective, lemon juice may squirt in multiple directions when you squeeze the arms of your tongs together. To ward off a sticky mess, when juicing, make sure to hold your tongs as close to the base of your plate or mixing bowl as possible. Next to using tongs, you can also try more tips and tricks to squeeze out every last drop of lemon juice such as using a fork or lemon press.