Sure, lemonade is a great classic choice for a refreshing summer drink, but limeade is another fantastic option. The tartness of fresh lime juice is quite intense, which means you don’t need to use very much. Lime juice needs lots of sweetener, so why not go the natural route and make some freshly made pineapple juice? It’s super easy. You don’t even need to buy a juicer.
While testing this limeade recipe, I really wanted to avoid white sugar and simple syrup making. Using honey was an obvious choice early on simply because there’s no need to cook it down. It’s already 20% water, says The Kitchn. Then, during a lunch break, at the grocery store I walked into an aroma of some insanely aromatic and extremely ripe pineapples. Wanting to avoid making a “honey drink with a little lime”, I decided the juice from this pineapple needed to be extracted and put to good use.
Making fresh juice without a juicer
You don’t need to buy an expensive juicer to make fruit juice. They’re super expensive, bulky, and there are lots of parts to keep track of. Just cut the pineapple into chunks, pulse it in a food processor, and strain it through a fine mesh sieve. Use a rubber spatula to push it out and get the most juice out of it. Do make sure you’re sieve is a super fine grate. Some are looser than others, so choose the sieves with the smaller holes to catch more pulp. Or, if you want pulp then the choice is up to you.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 whole pineapple, to yield 2 cups fresh pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup honey
Instructions
- Cut 1/2 pineapple into large chunks. Pulse them in a food processor until broken down to a “crushed pineapple” texture.
- Pour the crushed pineapple into a fine mesh sieve planted over a medium bowl. Force the juice through the sieve with a rubber spatula.
- To make your limeade concentrate, thoroughly stir in the honey and lime juice. Use this as a base to serve up in individual drinks or in a large pitcher. Add 1 parts concentrate to 3 parts water, then serve in chilled glasses.