Here’s How to Juice a Lemon Without Cutting It (Yes, It’s Possible)
What if you could add a dash of citrus to your water or a recipe without the hassle of slicing an entire lemon in half, squeezing out a few drops, and tossing the rest in the fridge, only to forget about it until it’s too late? If you, like me, are tired of dealing with seeds and half-used lemons, then you’ll love this easy-but-ingenious trick from TIkTok as much as I do.
@spicednice No seeds, no mess, & no half used lemons going bad. Follow for more! This one changed my life when I saw “How to Make Sushi” post it years ago! ##hack
♬ Up – Cardi B
How to Get Lemon Juice Without Cutting a Lemon, According to TikTok
As with most of my kitchen hacks, this one began on TikTok. It gained popularity early on in the pandemic, and when it recently resurfaced on my feed, I took it as a sign that it was time to give it a shot. Here’s how it works.
- Roll out your lemon. You have to really roll out your lemon — it should be pretty soft when you’re done. This helps break down the membrane, making it easier to juice.
- Pierce the non-stem side of the lemon with a wooden skewer. According to the above TikTok video, it looks like the skewer should go in about two inches.
- Take the skewer out and squeeze.
That’s it! No seeds, no mess, no sad half-squeezed lemon that is destined to wither away.
Here’s What Happened When I Tried This Trick at Home
I started by rolling my lemon for about 30 seconds on my countertop, pressing firmly with my palm as I went. Then, the fun part: I stuck the wood skewer (pointy part first) through the lemon, which created a tiny hole. Then, I pulled the skewer out and squeezed the lemon into my water. I’m happy to report that this tip totally works!
Even though I’m someone who normally uses half of a lemon in a single glass of water, I prefer this trick to actually cutting a lemon in half, because I didn’t have deal with the seeds. It took me a few squeezes to get to my desired lemony-ness (that’s a word, right?), but it was worth the effort. I also liked that I could just leave the lemon on the counter in a fruit bowl for my next use rather than wrapping it and putting it in the fridge, where I would be destined to forget about it.
My verdict: If you’re ever in a position where you just need a little bit of lemon juice, this is a hack to keep in your back pocket. It only takes a minute to do, which is more than worth the time you save on cleanup and the potential waste. Plus, it’s a really fun party trick!