Store-bought orange juice is convenient but let’s be honest. It can’t hold a candle to the sunshine in a cup that is freshly squeezed orange juice.
If you’re looking to get hands-on and make your own, here are the best oranges you can use for juicing!
Best Oranges For Juicing
1. Valencia
If you’re looking for the ideal orange to use for juicing, you can never go wrong with valencia. It is sweet, low in acidity, and does not develop any bitter taste.
Valencias are available throughout the summer months of March to July, making their juice a hallmark refreshing summer beverage. In addition, they are commonly used by juicing companies because of their accessibility.
With an average size of seven to ten inches in diameter, this orange yields four to five tablespoons of juice. You’ll need three valencias to make a cup of juice.
Navel oranges are the most common type of oranges and they also sport a unique appearance resembling that of a belly button.
Also known as winter oranges, navels are available all year round but are best from November to June. They are mostly sweet, with little to no tarty flavors which makes them a crowd-favorite.
Because these oranges are seedless and easy to peel, they are a great option for juicing. In addition, navels are large in size, measuring three to four inches in diameter.
One navel orange can provide you with three to four tablespoons of juice which is equal to about a quarter of a cup.
3. Tangelos
Tangelos are hybrid oranges made from combining tangerine and pomelo. This type is classified as fairly large in size and provides significant juice yield.
Additionally, one tangelo can provide ten to twelve tablespoons of juice, easily equivalent to three-fourths of a glass.
Due to their origins, tangelos have a unique flavor capturing the sweetness of oranges combined with the tarty, bitter taste of pomelos.
4. Blood Orange
Blood oranges have a unique scarlet coloring making them an attractive choice for juicing enthusiasts.
They are medium-sized but can provide you with a significant yield because of their juicy, crimson flesh.
One single blood orange gives eighty to eighty-five milliliters of juice equivalent to one-third of a glass. To extract more, you should choose those with darker red peels because they are riper and sweeter.
Blood oranges are available from November to April and taste tartier than your regular oranges. If you prefer your orange juice less sweet with hints of raspberry taste, blood oranges are for you.
5. Mandarin
Mandarins are petite in size with loose skin and a flattened appearance. They are freshly available from February to April but you can also find them canned all year in grocery stores.
Despite being small, they are juicy and provide about three tablespoons of juice. You will need to extract the juices of five to six mandarin oranges to fill a cup.
Mandarin orange juice has lower acidic content and tastes sweeter than your regular freshly-squeezed orange juice.
6. Clementine
Clementines may be the smallest citrus on the list but they are still one of the most popular choices for juicing. This type yields the most quality juices from January to March but is available from December.
They are only two to three inches in length and give two tablespoons of juice per fruit. As such, to create a full glass of orange juice, you will need about seven to eight clementines.
This may seem like a lot in comparison to when you use other orange varieties. However, clementines are worth it because of their distinct apricot-like taste.
Additionally, clementines are seedless, easy to peel, and boast of a sweet, refreshing flavor without any hint of tartness or bitterness.
7. Satsuma
Satsuma is a rare variant of the mandarin orange family known for its seedless, tender red flesh. It is the juiciest in the family and only slightly larger than clementine oranges.
This orange type is very easy to peel and tastes the right combination of sweet and tart-like. However, it only grows in a limited period from late October to the end of December, making it quite rare.
They are remarkably delicious and juicy making them a great option for juicing. But you’ll need five to six satsumas to fill up your glass as one fruit only amounts to three tablespoons.
8. Tangerine
Tangerines are bright-colored oranges that only grow during the fall and spring seasons. They are slightly tarty than other varieties and are used for their sweet-sour flavor.
One medium-sized tangerine measures about one and a half in diameter and contains four to five tablespoons of juice. If you are planning to create a pure concentrated OJ, then you’ll need six oranges to fill a cup.
9. Cara Cara
Cara Caras are unique among oranges and are characterized by their pink flesh. They look appealing and taste sweet, tangy with hints of cranberry and blackberry flavor.
If you want something new to your palate, then Cara Cara is the ideal orange for your needs. Additionally, they are low in acidity and seedless, which makes for easier juicing.
This variety features medium oranges, approximately the same size as navels. One Cara Cara orange gives about three to four tablespoons of juice, equivalent to one-fourth of a cup.
10. Seville Orange
Seville oranges are far from your usual sweet oranges. They are known for their tangy, bitter taste. They also have sour flavors more prominent than in regular orange juice.
However, they are still one of the ideal oranges for juicing especially if you’re looking for something that is not overwhelmingly sweet.
They measure seven to eight centimeters in diameter and are available from winter to early spring. One regular Seville orange gives an acidic juice worth three to four tablespoons.
11. Lima
Lima oranges are also called acidless oranges because they literally contain no tartness. Instead, they taste tender and juicy, with fruity sweet flavors.
These oranges range from six to eight centimeters in diameter and have a remarkably thick peel. They are only available during late winter to early spring which makes them in demand during the season.
On average, one lima contains four tablespoons of juice which means you can make one cupful using four to five oranges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Best Orange For Juicing?
Valencia oranges are considered the best type for juicing because they pack a significant amount of extract. This extract is distinctly sweet and flavorful with little to no trace of bitterness.
In addition, Valencia oranges are seedless, with thin skin and thick, juicy flesh which gives the maximum amount of juice.
How Do You Make Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice At Home?
You can make fresh orange juice at home by slicing the oranges in half and manually squeezing them over a wide container.
Once you’ve squeezed the orange halves to the best of your ability, filter the juice using coriander or a sift to remove pulp and unwanted seeds.
You can then drink it fresh or pop it into the refrigerator for a chilled beverage.
How Many Oranges to Fill A Liter of Juice?
To fill a liter of pure concentrated orange juice, you will need to squeeze thirteen to fifteen medium-sized oranges. This quantity may vary depending on the ripeness and size of the fruits used.
How Much Juice In One Regular Orange?
One regular-sized orange contains about four to five tablespoons of juice which is roughly equivalent to one-fourth cup. This may vary depending on the juiciness of the orange, thickness of peels, and freshness.
If you want to learn more about orange juice, you can see our related posts on how to make orange juice without a juicer, how many oranges make a cup of juice, and how long fresh-squeezed orange juice lasts.
Take a look at our related articles to discover why orange juice separates, whether orange juice is a solution, and whether orange juice is acidic.
Conclusion
While all oranges can be good for juicing, some varieties of oranges are better than others, and some examples of the best oranges for juicing are valencia, navel, blood orange, and more.