Vitamix orange juice (recipe)

Years ago I had a Breville juicer when they were at the height of their popularity. And I used it quite a bit for a while. But once the novelty wore off, I got too lazy to use it. Cleaning it was a bit of a chore. It also seemed like such a waste to be throwing out such large amounts of perfectly edible pulp.

A quick Google search will show there’s intense debate over whether a juicer or blender is better for juice/smoothies. I’m not going to join that debate. Juicers extract only the juice from fruit and vegetables, completely separating pulp and solid fibres, leaving a more concentrated liquid. You get all the nutrition but no fibre. When making juice or smoothies in a blender, all the pulp is broken up and mixed into the juice. You get a thicker product full of beneficial fibre. It’s a less concentrated liquid, but just means you get to drink more. When using a powerful blender like a Vitamix, the fibre is so thoroughly broken down that you don’t have chunky pulp, but it’s clearly different than the watery juice from a  juicer.

Making orange juice in a Vitamix is quite simple:

• Peel a bunch of oranges (depending on how much juice you want to make)
• Throw in a handful of ice cubes
• Add a generous splash of water
• Blend until smooth (if you have a Vitamix with pre-programmed settings, use the Smothies setting)
• If the juice is too thick for your taste, add a bit more water or ice and pulse to blend

(Since all the pulp of the oranges is blended in, oranges on their own would create a very thick juice… the water and ice thins out the juice and chills it at the same time, without noticeably diluting the orangey goodness.)

The juice is best enjoyed immediately or the same day. It can be stored in the fridge for a few days, but it tends to bet a bit bitter with time.