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We all use lemon juice in our kitchens, be it as a pre-workout drink or in our daily recipes. However, juicing lemons is quite tricky and typically involves a manual squeezer and using it can be quite time-consuming. The other hack is to slice them and squeeze them out. But what if there was a way you could squeeze lemon juice without slicing it or using a juicer or squeezer?
An X user named MitchSteds recently shared a toothpick hack which can help you juice a lemon without slicing it. The first step in this hack is selecting the right lemon. Ensure that the lemon you use is fresh, firm, and heavy for its size—this is a good indicator that it's full of juice. Lemons that are too soft or wrinkled may not work as well because their skin is either too weak or their juice content too low. A firm lemon will ensure you get the maximum amount of juice.
Before poking your lemon, roll it gently on a countertop or any flat surface while applying light pressure with your hand. This helps break down the internal membranes and makes the juice easier to extract. A 20-30 second roll is usually enough to loosen up the juices inside without compromising the lemon’s structure.
Take a clean toothpick and insert it into one end of the lemon (the top or bottom is usually ideal). Push the toothpick about half an inch deep into the lemon, making sure to pierce through the peel and into the juicy pulp beneath. Once inserted, wiggle the toothpick around a bit to create a slightly larger hole. Be gentle to avoid tearing the lemon too much, as this could cause the juice to leak prematurely.
Now that you’ve made a hole, hold the lemon over a bowl or directly over your dish, and give it a gentle squeeze. You'll notice the juice starts flowing from the puncture hole. The key here is to control the pressure—squeezing too hard might cause the juice to squirt uncontrollably.
This hack works because the outer peel of a lemon is thick enough to hold the juice in but thin enough that it can be pierced without damaging the lemon's internal structure. By poking a hole in the lemon with a toothpick, you create a small opening that allows you to control the flow of juice, while keeping the rest of the lemon intact.
