Looking for How to Make and Freeze your own Orange Juice, Grapefruit, Tangerine or Mandarin Juice in 2024? Scroll down this page and follow the links. And if you bring home some fruit or vegetables and want to can, freeze, make jam, salsa or pickles, see this page for simple, reliable, illustrated canning, freezing or preserving directions. There are plenty of other related resources, click on the resources dropdown above. If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.
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Prepared this way, the jars have a shelf life of 18 months to 2 years, and require no special attention.
The most important step! You should choose the best fruit you can get and make far better juice. Don't get me wrong, it is fine to use small fruit and less attractive varieties, as long as they are firm and unspoiled!
You can pick your own, or buy them at the grocery store. But for large quantities, you will find that real* farmer's markets, like the Farmer's Market in Forest Park, Georgia have them at the best prices, like the Atlanta-Forest park Georgia State Farmer's Market and orchards in the Florida, Texas and California.
You will get about 12 to 20 quarts of lemon juice per bushel of lemons. Count on 15 or 16 quarts per bushel.
* - not the cutesy, fake farmer's markets that are just warehouse grocery stores that call themselves farmer's markets.
I'm sure you can figure out how to wash the fruit in plain cold water. If you have a juicer or squeezer, it obviously makes it much easier. If you don't have a juicer, don't fret, just peel the fruit (as shown in the photo), then chop or crush the fruit with a potato masher and continue to the next step.
Squeeze juice from fruit, using a squeezer that does not press the oil from rind (the oil has a bitter taste). If you have a juicer, you can use it on the peel fruit.
If you desire (I don't) you may sweeten with 2 tablespoons sugar, honey, Stevia (in a prepared form like Truvia, it measures same as sugar; if you use another form, you will need do your own conversion) - or Splenda, if you prefer, or whatever you prefer for each quart of juice; or do as I do and pack without sugar.
If you want pulp-free juice and you didn't use a juicer in step 4 that separates the pulp, you want to separate the liquid from the pulp (and seeds, stems, etc. ) There are quite a variety of ways to filter the lemons.
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Unfiltered juice:
Filtered juice:
Pour juice into containers immediately. To avoid development of off-flavors, pack juice in glass jars. Leave 1/2 inch headspace.
Seal and freeze. Be sure the jars are upright. I leave the lids on loosely, until they freeze solid, then I tighten them. That helps to avoid breakage.
![]() Granite Ware 21 QT, 9 Piece Enamelware Water bath Canning Pot with Canning kit, Colander and Rack VKP Brands Water Bath AND Steam Canner, 20 Quart Stainless Steel, flat-bottomed Induction range compatible and safe for smooth top ranges. ![]() |
Home Canning KitsSee the seller's website for more information, features, pricing and user reviews! This is the same type of standard canner that my grandmother used
to make everything from lemon juice to jams and jellies to tomato and
spaghetti sauce. This complete kit includes everything you need: the
canner, jar rack, Jar grabber tongs, lid lifting wand, a plastic funnel,
labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book. You will never need anything else except more jars and lids! |
See here for related tools, equipment, supplies on Amazon |
Norpro 1951 Manual Food Strainer, with optional motor; (almost identical to Victorio V250, Villaware and Roma models, all discontinued)
See the seller's website for more information, features, pricing and user reviews! |
See here for related tools, equipment, supplies on Amazon |
Deluxe Food Strainer and Sauce MakerA food strainer allows you to easily make smooth tomato sauces, seedless jams and jellies, applesauce, soups, baby foods, and much more. The strainers can use different sized screens to filter out different sized seeds and debris. There are both hand cranked and motorized versions.
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Lids, Rings, Jars, mixes, pectin, etc.Need lids, rings and replacement jars? Or pectin to make jam, spaghetti sauce or salsa mix or pickle mixes? Get them all here, and usually at lower prices than your local store! |
Water bath canner with a jar rack
Pressure canners for gas, electric and induction stoves: Presto 23Qt or T-fal 22Qt
Canning scoop (this one is PERFECT)
Ball Blue book (most recent version)
Jars: 8oz canning jars for jams
Farm markets and roadside stands
Road trips and camping resources
Local Honey, apiaries, beekeepers
Consumer fraud and scams information
Home canning supplies at the best prices on the internet!
Maple Syrup Farms, sugarworks, maple syrup festivals
Environmental information and resources
Farms For Your Event for birthday parties, weddings, receptions, business meetings, retreats, etc.
Festivals - local fruit and vegetable festivals
Get the
most recent version of
the Ball Blue Book
With this Presto 23 quart pressure canner and pressure cooker, you can "can" everything, fruits, vegetables, jams, jellies, salsa, applesauce, pickles, even meats, soups, stews. Model 01781
You can make jams, jellies, can fruit, applesauce, salsa and pickles with water bath canners, like this Granite Ware 12-Piece Canner Kit, Jar Rack, Blancher, Colander and 5 piece Canning Tool Set