How do you use a glass orange juicer?

Freshly squeezed orange juice is a delicious and nutritious beverage that can be easily made at home with a glass orange juicer. Glass juicers are simple manual citrus presses that allow you to quickly juice oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes and other citrus fruits with minimal mess or fuss.

Benefits of Glass Orange Juicers

Glass orange juicers have several advantages over electric juicers:

• Simple and easy to use – just cut a citrus fruit in half and press down on the juicer’s handle to extract the juice.
• Allow you to control the amount of pulp – some models have adjustable pulp screens.
• Affordable price point – generally cost less than electric juicers.
• Compact size – take up very little storage space.
• Dishwasher safe – most parts can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
• Durable construction – made from heavy duty materials like glass and stainless steel.
• Quiet operation – no noisy motor like electric juicers.

Making fresh orange juice with a hand press juicer allows you to create tasty, wholesome beverages right at home. The juice retains more vitamins and nutrients compared to store-bought juices since there is no heat or oxygen exposure during juicing.

Types of Glass Orange Juicers

There are a few different styles of glass orange juicers to consider:

• Classic press juicers – These consist of a glass or plastic juice collector cup and a metal juice press arm with a lever. Halved citrus fruits are placed under the press arm and the lever is lowered to press down and extract the juice.
• Handheld squeezers – Designed like large squeezable tongs. The citrus half is placed between the tong handles which are squeezed together to press out juice.
• Suction base models – Have a glass juice collector cup that attaches securely to the countertop with a suction base. Useful for preventing spills and slippage while juicing.
• Extra large capacity – For high volume juicing, look for presses with oversized juice collector cups that can hold up to 32 ounces of fresh juice.

Consider your juicing needs and choose a juicer with the right features and capacity for you. Models with suction bases, plastic arms, and dishwasher-safe parts are often the most convenient for home use.

Choosing the Right Oranges

Picking fresh, juicy oranges is key for getting the best results and flavor from your glass juicer. Follow these tips when selecting oranges:

• Choose oranges that feel heavy for their size with thin, finely textured skin. Heavy oranges have higher juice content.
• Avoid soft, lightweight or overly firm oranges as they tend to be dry inside with less juice.
• Select oranges with smoothly dimpled skins, which indicates freshness.
• Color is not always an indicator of ripeness. Both yellow and orange hued oranges can be ripe and juicy.
• Navel oranges make great juicing oranges. Valencia, Cara Cara, and blood oranges also have excellent juice quantity and flavor.
• Wash oranges just before juicing to remove any coating waxes and surface dirt.

Starting with premium juice oranges ensures you’ll get the most and best tasting juice out of your juicer. Don’t be afraid to squeeze and gently press the oranges at the store to gauge their firmness and juice content.

How to Juice Oranges in a Glass Juicer

Follow these simple steps for juicing oranges using a typical glass manual citrus press:

1. Assemble the juicer parts. Place the juice collector cup on a sturdy, level surface. Position the juice press arm over the cup.
2. Cut the orange in half widthwise using a sharp knife. One half at a time, place the cut side up under the press arm on the cup rim.
3. Lower the juicer’s press handle to squeeze the orange half between the press and cup. Apply firm downward pressure until you feel the orange skin flatten and collapse slightly.
4. Release the press handle and lift to raise the juicing cone up off the orange. Rotate and reposition the orange half to press again until all juice is extracted.
5. Pour the fresh orange juice into glasses and enjoy immediately! For best flavor and nutrition, drink the juice right after making it.
6. Disassemble the juicer parts and rinse clean under running water. Wash thoroughly before next use.

Juicing tips:

• Roll oranges under palm of hand on counter before cutting to release more juice.
• Press gently at first, then increase pressure. Too much force can cause bitter orange oils from the peel to be released.
• To reduce pulp, strain juice through a fine mesh sieve after juicing.

Cleaning Your Glass Orange Juicer

Keep your glass juicer in top working order by cleaning it properly after each use. Here’s how:

• Disassemble all removable juicer parts. Take them apart and separate them before cleaning.
• Rinse juice and pulp residue off parts under running water. Soak in warm soapy water if needed to remove stubborn residue.
• Use a soft brush or cloth to gently scrub off any remaining pulp, oil or stains on the glass and metal parts.
• Most glass juicer parts are dishwasher safe on the top rack. Check your model’s manual to confirm.
• Towel dry all parts thoroughly after washing. Don’t let air dry, moisture can breed bacteria.
• Reassemble the juicer once fully clean and dry. Store back together or with parts disassembled.

Proper cleaning protects the functionality and longevity of your juicer. Avoid abrasive scouring pads during washing that could scratch the glass or metal. With regular cleaning, a quality glass orange juicer can provide many years of juicing service.

Storing Juice and Juicer Long Term

Follow these guidelines for best storage practices of both freshly squeezed juice and the glass juicer itself:

• Juice: Pour juice into airtight containers like mason jars or bottles. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
• Juicer: Disassemble and dry all parts before storage. Keep in a clean, dry spot like a cupboard shelf.
• If juicing daily, you can leave juicer assembled on the counter. Cover with a clean towel when not in use.
• Avoid storage areas with direct sunlight, heat, or moisture which can damage the juicer.
• Do not place heavy items on top of juicer during storage to prevent cracking or warping parts.

With proper storage habits, a glass orange juicer can serve your kitchen smoothly for many juicing seasons. Keep it clean, dry and stored safely between uses.

Troubleshooting Common Juicing Problems

Having trouble getting good juice results from your glass juicer? Here are some common issues with solutions:

Problem	Cause	Solution
Low juice yield	Old, dry oranges. Poor orange selection.	Choose fresh, ripe, juicy oranges. Navel and Valencia oranges have high juice content.
Excess bitter taste	Pressing too hard, releasing oils	Press lightly at first, then increase pressure gradually to avoid releasing bitter oils.
Pulp in juice	Adjustable screen not set for low pulp	Ensure screen is closed for minimum pulp. Strain juice after for less pulp.
Juicer slips	No suction grip on counter	Use a juicer with suction base for stability. Dampen suction base rim to increase grip.
Oxidized brown juice	Juice sits before drinking	Drink juice immediately after juicing or store in airtight container in fridge up to 3 days.

With a few troubleshooting tweaks, you can get your glass orange juicer working optimally again and create fresh, delicious orange juice easily at home.

Recipes Using Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

Fresh orange juice is delicious on its own, but can also be used to make a variety of nutritious drinks and recipes. Here are some ideas:

• Orange sunshine smoothie – Blend orange juice, banana, Greek yogurt, and honey or maple syrup.
• Orange creamsicle shake – Mix orange juice, vanilla yogurt or ice cream, and milk.
• Sparkling orange spritzer – Stir orange juice into sparkling water and top with an orange slice.
• Citrus mimosa – Mix equal parts orange juice and champagne or sparkling wine.
• Sangria – Combine orange juice, wine, sliced oranges and other fruit.
• Orange vinaigrette – Whisk together orange juice, oil, vinegar, herbs and seasonings for salads.
• Orange chicken – Use orange juice and zest to marinate chicken before cooking.
• Creamsicle pudding – Mix instant vanilla pudding with orange juice and top with whipped cream.

Squeezing fresh orange juice to use in recipes adds bright, vibrant flavor and natural sweetness. Get creative pairing it with complementary ingredients.

Conclusion

Glass orange juicers provide a simple, affordable, and effective way to unlock all the flavor and nutrition of fresh oranges at home. Selecting juicy, ripe oranges and using proper juicing technique will help maximize juice yields. Clean the juicer properly after each use for longevity. And don’t forget to enjoy your freshly squeezed juice right away for the best taste and nutritional potency. With a handy glass citrus press, you can quickly craft delicious orange juice bursting with bright, refreshing flavor any time.