Orange juice is a tasty, nutritious drink that is vibrant and sweet. You may also include it in your favorite beverage recipes. It’s also effortless to make freshly squeezed orange juice without needing a vertical juicer. I’m going to walk you through the process of making orange juice in a blender or mixer in this article.
The Best Oranges to Use for Orange Juice
The volume of juice per orange and flavor are the two key considerations when choosing the best oranges for orange juice. Valencia oranges, which are both thick and delicious, give the ideal balance. Valencia oranges are available at most grocery shops. Although navel oranges often have a slightly bitter flavor and somewhat less juice than Valencia oranges, they make excellent juice.
Ingredients
One of the best things about making your orange juice at home is how essential the ingredient list is. You can make sufficient juice with only a dozen oranges to share with a partner.
We advise going with your instinct when choosing your orange variety. We’ve tried Valencia, Cara Cara, Blood, and Navel and have had beautiful results with all of them.
Some orange cultivars will produce sweeter juice, while others may produce tarter juice. Choose your preferred kind and begin!
You can also add a pinch of salt to your orange juice for a better taste.
How to Make Orange Juice
Peel the oranges first. Don’t forget to peel the orange segments’ white layers plus the pith.
If you want your juice cold, place the ingredients in a bowl and chill them in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before mixing. When prepared, place the orange sections in a blender or mixer.
Add one tablespoon of lemon juice. You have the choice to skip this if you’d like. But we truly appreciate how the citrus sharpness counteracts the oranges’ richness.
If you want to refrigerate the juice in the fridge before consuming it, it will also help keep the juice tasting better for a bit longer.
The mixture will become pulpy, and the oranges will be mashed after a few seconds of operation at low to moderate speed.
Although we only need to crush the segments, do not over-blend since we don’t want to smash the seeds completely. Instead, utilize the mixer’s or blender’s pulse function as well.
Pour the juice into the bowl after placing a filter over it. Juice strainers and mesh strainers are also acceptable options.
To assist in squeezing the juice, crush and stir the pulp with a spoon. Continue doing so until the liquid has been pressed into the bowl.
When the juice has been wholly strained, all that should be left is the fibrous pulp. First, the pulp should be thrown away since it will be unpleasant, but you may also put it into your fertilizer.
Serve orange juice instantly in two large glasses.
With your Hands: We prefer this technique since we don’t have to use filthy instruments, and it’s pretty easy to accomplish. Oranges should first be well rinsed before being cut in half and squeezed into a glass. Then, continue until you have enough for a full glass!
With a Juicer: If you already understand how to use a juicer, this recipe is as easy as washing and rough peeling your oranges, then putting them in your juicer, and serve.
Is Orange Juice Healthy?
Oranges provide several crucial health advantages. Most people are familiar with this spicy fruit’s high vitamin C content. In reality, a moderate cup of orange juice contains nearly all of the necessary daily amount of vitamin C. However, it also includes several other minerals and vitamins, such as iron, calcium, folate, and vitamin A. In addition to promoting bone growth, gum health, and wound healing, vitamin C supports our immunity system. Furthermore, potassium aids in the prevention of heart disease, heart conditions, and bone loss. Additionally, it lowers the danger of kidney stones and regulates blood pressure.
OJ is one of the most acceptable natural sources of folate, which is necessary for pregnant women and lowers the risk of birth abnormalities. In addition, orange juice is even better since it contains a lot of antioxidants, which are excellent for battling dangerous free radicals, preventing several chronic diseases, and having anti-inflammatory effects.
The quantity of natural sugars in orange juice—or large amounts of fruit juice—is one of the few drawbacks. Because of this, we usually make our orange juice once or twice a week and freeze the leftovers to add to drinks in smaller amounts or to defrost later.
Storage
Fresh orange juice contains no additives, unlike store-bought orange juice. Unfortunately, this indicates that it won’t last as long as a box you purchase from a shop.
You can store your freshly squeezed orange juice for two days in an airtight refrigerator jar. Then, it can be kept for up to two months after making by freezing it in icicle trays.
Do You Need To Keep Orange Juice In The Freezer?
Yes, orange juice must be chilled after preparation to maintain freshness. However, for the most excellent flavor and most pleasant experience, it is also a great idea to cool the orange juice and mix it with ice cubes.
You may always store any extra orange juice in containers or jars.
We advise storing DIY fresh squeezed orange juice for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, although store-bought orange juice may last more (look for any instructions to determine how long you can keep it after opening the container; usually, they last well for around a week).
Can Orange Juice Be Frozen?
- The answer is yes; you can freeze the orange juice you make yourself.
- Transferring the orange juice to icicle trays and freezing it will allow for longer shelf life.
To sum up
In summary, homemade fresh orange juice is good for you and is a great way to start your day. Use a citrus press to prepare this easy fruit juice recipe, and you can add some salt and sugar (optionally) to go with whatever breakfast you want. They are also suitable for serving as an after-school meal. Remember to serve it immediately because orange juice that hasn’t been drunk for an hour or longer tastes harsh.
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