Onions have a high water content, so it is usually possible to extract a large amount of juice from a single onion. Onion juice is not particularly rich in nutrients, but traditionally in many cultures, the juice is harvested as a cure for hypertension, circulation problems, urinary infections and the common cold. You can extract the juice of an onion with a grater, blender, or juicer.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Prepare the Onion
Step 1. Remove the peel
Use a sharp serrated knife to cut a small slice, no larger than 1cm, starting at the bottom of the root. Work your way through the onion until you reach the peel on the opposite side, but don't cut through the peel. Grab the partially cut end and pull it down, past the length of the onion, and tear off a piece of peel. Grab the remaining peel with your thumb and first two fingers and pull it back to remove it.
Step 2. Cut the other end
Use the same knife to remove another 1cm slice from the other end of the onion. This will make it easier to cut or mince it, so this step is especially important if you want to extract the juice with a blender or juicer.
If you extract the juice with a grater, you can skip this step. Keeping the opposite end intact may actually make it easier to grate the onion
Step 3. Rinse the onion
Place the peeled onion under a tap of warm water to remove any small patches of peel or dirt. Dry it with a clean paper towel.
Part 2 of 4: Using a Grater
Step 1. Place the grater inside a shallow bowl or cup
You need a container with edges, but it must be large enough to fit the grater in and at least one of your hands to be able to grate the onion inside.
Step 2. Hold the top handle of the grater with one hand
Press down on the grater with steady pressure to hold it steady and prevent it from slipping when you try to grate the onion.
Step 3. Rub the whole onion against the fine side of the grater
Grab the rounded side of the onion, if it has remained intact, with your free hand. Rest the flat end that was attached to the root on top of the fine side of the grater. Move the onion in a downward motion over the teeth of the blade. Keep pressing it against the grater, moving it up and down, until you have scratched it completely.
Step 4. Place a colander over a medium to large bowl
This bowl should have higher edges and a sufficiently large opening for the entire diameter of the colander. If you can, place it over the mouth of the cup. However, if it is too small, hold it with your hand.
Step 5. Press the onion pulp through the colander
Put the pulp that you had grated in the other container in a fine mesh colander. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to push it, separating most of the juice and preventing the solid pulp from falling into the second bowl. Keep pressing until almost all of the juice has been separated, but don't press so hard that you push the pulp through the strainer.
Step 6. Place the leftover pulp in a square cheese cloth
Place it in the center of the cloth and join the corners together to make a tightly closed "bundle". Then press it down to squeeze more juice into the second bowl. Keep squeezing and pushing until no more juice drips.
Part 3 of 4: Using a Blender
Step 1. Chop the onion
Use a sharp serrated knife to roughly chop the onion into medium-sized pieces. You do not have to chop or finely chop the onion, but make small to medium sized pieces, so that the blender works better than inserting large pieces.
Step 2. Put the onion pieces in the blender and turn on the appliance
On medium-high speed and blend for about 1 minute, until the onion becomes a thick puree.
Step 3. Blend again if needed
Blending the onion for 1 minute should be enough to make it a puree, but each blender works a little differently. If there are still several pieces of onion left in the blender, turn off the appliance, open the lid and push the pieces down towards the blades with a rubber spatula. Replace the lid and continue blending at high speed intervals of 30 seconds until the onion is completely homogeneous.
Step 4. Put a colander over the mouth of a bowl
It needs to be small enough to fit inside the cup, but large enough to rest on the rim of the bowl if possible. Otherwise, hold it over the mouth of the container with one hand.
Step 5. Place a piece of drape inside the colander
If it is thin it is easier to filter the juice, while the solid pulp is retained.
Step 6. Press the pureed onion through the cloth and strainer
Transfer it from the blender to the center of the fabric. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to push the pulp into the cheesecloth through the colander into the bowl. Keep pressing the pulp until you see no more juice dripping.
Part 4 of 4: Using a Juicer
Step 1. Cut the onion into quarters
A whole onion is too big for many juicers, while pieces that are too small or a chopped onion are not suitable. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the onion into quarters and lengths for best results.
Step 2. Choose the right type of juicer
Use an electric centrifugal juicer with the inclined plane and spout. The manual one, or the one that requires you to press fruit or vegetables on the tip of a cone to extract the juice, only works with fruits like lemons, oranges and limes. To extract the juice of hard vegetables like onions, you need a juicer with a spout where you can insert the pieces.
Step 3. Place a bowl under the juicer dispenser
Some juicers are equipped with a glass container to collect the juice, but for many you have to put a bowl or glass before starting to squeeze, since the juice pours out when you start the appliance.
Step 4. Press each quarter of onion into the juicer
Wait until each piece becomes juice before inserting the next quarter. The juice should automatically filter through the spout as the pulp is collected in a separate compartment. You shouldn't make any extra effort.
Advice
- Wash the grater, blender or juicer after use. Onions have a pungent odor, which lasts a long time, and it becomes necessary to soak the tool in hot soapy water for a few minutes and brush it to further eliminate the odor, so as not to contaminate other foods.
- You can also put it in a juicer.
Warnings
- Be careful not to get the juice in your eyes.
- Be careful not to hurt yourself when you use the knife.
