How to Make Orange Juice in a Blender, Juicer, or Manually

On a hot summer day, is there anything better than a glass of sweet orange juice? 

Yes, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice! 

Today I’m going to share my guide on how to make orange juice, including everything you need to know whether you’re using a blender, a juicer, or even your hands. 

But first, let’s examine some of the orange juice’s incredible health benefits. 

Health Advantages 

Vitamin C, abundant in orange juice, aids the immune system, but I believe everyone is aware of this by now. Here are some advantages you may need to be mindful of. 

• • Protect The Skin From Sun Damage: Vitamin C helps your skin stay healthy and resistant to sun damage, so it’s excellent in the summer or a sunny climate. It will not replace sunscreen, but it will assist in protecting your skin and keeping it youthful. 
  • Defend Against Free Radicals: Free radicals are ubiquitous molecules that attempt to steal electrons from your cells. What does this entail? I’ll tell you what it means: your cells become mutated and damaged, which can lead to various issues as severe as modifying your DNA! Therefore, protection against them is essential, and orange juice is the solution. 
  • Stop Muscle Cramps: Lastly, orange juice is a source of Potassium, which works in the body to prevent muscle cramps, making it an excellent addition to the diets of gym-goers. 

Which Orange Varieties Should You Use? 

Even within the United States, there are a surprisingly large number of orange varieties. Fortunately, you can juice almost any type of orange, depending on your preference. 

Watch out for Navel oranges, as they contain a compound called limonin, which, when exposed to air, causes the orange to taste bitter. This is present in the flesh of Navel oranges, so approximately 30 minutes after juicing, the orange will become more painful. 

Valencia oranges, on the other hand, are grown in the United States, and the Limon is found in the seeds, which you’ll remove before juicing anyway, so they’re the best choice for making orange juice. 

However, navel oranges are still acceptable if they are juiced immediately. 

A Guide to Making Orange Juice 

This is, after all, Juice Buff, so we’ll want to make our orange juice with a juicer! 

You can do this with an electric juicer, a manual citrus press, or a blender. I prefer an electric juicer because it has many other uses besides making juice, but there’s nothing wrong with a manual one. Here are my top recommendations for orange juicers. 

It’s annoying that blenders require additional preparation and work to produce a good glass of orange juice. 

How to Use a Juicer to Make Orange Juice 

This is accomplished with an electric juicer, where the fruit is placed on top, and juice is extracted from the bottom. 

Step 1: Peel It The orange peel has a bitter taste, so while you can put it through the juicer peel and all, I wouldn’t recommend it because it tastes awful. 

You can peel it by hand, but if that leaves a lot of white pith on the outside, you should use a knife to remove the peel from the outside. 

Step 2: Remove the Seeds – Once the apple has been peeled, pull it apart into two halves and check for seeds; if there are any, carefully flick them out with a knife. 

This will help your juice last longer and improve its flavor, but feel free to experiment by juicing your oranges with and without the seeds to determine if there is a difference in taste. 

Step 3: Load the Juicer, and voilà! You are ready to begin juicing; turn on your juicer and place your glass underneath it. 

Optional Step 4: Add Pulp – With an electric juicer, you’ll be left with orange juice in one container and pulp in another; if you want pulp in your drink, stir in some pulp with a spoon! Remember that putting the pulp in is much easier than taking it out! More information on pulp in orange juice can be found here. 

How To Make Orange Juice With a Manual juicer 

Manual Citrus Presses Come in various shapes and sizes; some are compact and easy to use, while others are large presses that do quick work but require a lot of counter space. 

But they all operate similarly. 

Step 1: Cut The Orange In Half – This time, you’ll leave the orange’s skin intact and cut it in half; from there, you can remove any visible seeds with a knife or your finger. 

Don’t worry if there are any remaining seeds; the juicer will catch them. 

Step 2: Twist the Juicer – Place the fruit, flesh-side down, on the juicing spike and squeeze while twisting. Continue squeezing until all the juice has been extracted, and for an extra thorough step, squeeze the orange with a back-and-forth motion instead of a twist; this removes any remaining liquid. 

Step 3. Enjoy! – You are now prepared to enjoy your delicious orange juice; you’ve worked hard. 

How to Make Orange Juice With A Blender 

With a blender, things are trickier, but it depends on how you like your orange juice. I prefer mine smooth, so using a blender necessitates straining the juice afterward. But if you prefer a smoothie-like consistency with lots of pulp, a blender is the best option. 

Step 1: Peel It – Like the juicer method, peel it with your hands. If you can remove all white pith, or with a knife, ensure that all the peel is removed. 

Step 2: Remove The Seeds – This is especially important for the blender method, as everything you put in the blender will be consumed, and you do not want to consume orange seeds. 

Step 3: Blitz It – Place everything in a blender and pulse until a smooth puree form. If it’s too thick to drink, add a little water and pulse the blender to thin it out and make it softer. Or it can be strained. 

Optional Step 4: Strain It – To achieve smooth orange juice, pass the mixture through a filter of some sort. A sieve is adequate, but a nut milk bag is superior, as it keeps all pulp out and allows you to squeeze all the juice into a bowl. 

In conclusion, there you have it! There are three distinct ways to make orange juice. Now there is only one remaining question. How long will it continue? 

How Long Will It Keep in the Refrigerator? 

If you’re interested, I have a more in-depth article on how long juice lasts, but what matters is how it’s made. Making it in a blender or centrifugal juicer, your orange juice will last about 24 hours, but if you make it manually or with a masticating juicer, it will last 48-72 hours in the refrigerator.