How to Extract Juice From a Lemon Without Peeling

Sometimes you'll just need a few drops of lemon juice for a specific recipe, a great cocktail or for seasoning a fresh fillet of fish. But if you don't have a handy dispenser of pre-squeezed lemon juice on hand, you'll have to cut or peel an entire lemon, even though you only need a few drops. That is, of course, unless you get creative and use the technique described below.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Lemon
• Toothpick
• Plastic zip-top bag

1. Hold the lemon firmly in one hand. Use the toothpick to pierce a hole in the side of the lemon. Push the toothpick about halfway into the fruit.
2. Position the hole in the lemon over your empty container, recipe bowl or the food you wish to season. Give the lemon a good squeeze; juice will begin to flow from the hole one drop at a time.
3. When you have all of the juice you need, turn the lemon with the hole facing upright. Put the toothpick back into the hole and push it in all the way, but do not make the hole any deeper.
4. Place the lemon, with the toothpick still in it, into a plastic zip-top bag. Seal the bag and keep in your refrigerator's crisper until needed again. You can use the same lemon to release just a few drops at a time, or you can use the almost-full lemon for any other recipe or garnish purpose.

Tips & Warnings

• This technique will work on other citrus fruits like limes and oranges.
• If you want to make it easier to squeeze out the juice, roll the lemon on a hard surface with the palm of your hand, applying significant pressure, before poking the hole.
• If you have cuts or scratches on your hands or fingers, be careful. The lemon juice will sting.