If You Don't Have A Dedicated Citrus Juicer, Reach For One BBQ Tool

Lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, all citrus fruits have varying levels of sweetness and tartness. While some are great to eat, and others less so, they do all contain delicious juice, which can be used for cooking, baking (add orange juice to your banana bread for a transformative experience), marinating, etc. But if you don't have a juicer, what can you use instead to get as much liquid as possible out of your citrus fruits?

If you barbecue at all, you likely have a pair of tongs on hand to easily lay out, pick up, and flip your meats and veggies on the grill (if you don't, here's a great pair from OXO). Well, those same tongs you use to sling summer burgers can also be used to effectively squeeze the juice out of your citrus fruits.

To do this, you'll cut the fruit in half and then place one half between the two arms of the tongs, sliding it up into the crook as far as it will go, with the cut side facing to one side. Holding the fruit over a container or bowl, squeeze the tongs together until all of the juice has been extracted. (To double down on secret tricks, you can also stick lemons and limes in the microwave before juicing.)

Okay, so what if you've just moved and your tongs are still packed up? Well, do you have a fork on hand? Cut the fruit in half and hold one half in your hand, while the other hand holds the fork. Insert the tines in roughly the center of the half-piece of fruit, and push down into the flesh while slowly rotating the fruit. Do this over a bowl or container until you've extracted all the juice, and then repeat with the other half.

As it turns out, you can also squeeze the juice out of a citrus fruit without cutting it at all (which is great if your knives need sharpening). First, you'll want to give your fruit a good roll against a hard surface, to help loosen up the juices. Then, take something sharp enough to puncture the tough skin (like a metal skewer) and poke a hole in the non-stem end. From there, you should be able to just squeeze the fruit, and the juices will shoot out the hole. Even better, if you don't need the juice of an entire fruit for your recipe, you've saved the fruit from drying out in the fridge while waiting to be used again. (And it's easy access if you like you add a bit of lemon juice to your morning coffee.)