What is it with the fresh limes, again!

I complained about this once before, limes with no juice. Then last year, we were able to get better limes, until this week. I bought six beautiful, limes at Raley's, had my doubts because they were too hard. When I arrived home, I cut into two of them, no juice, and dry inside. I call Raley's, tell them I am bringing them back, they are most agreeable and tell me they are pulling the batch and putting a new arrival of limes out. Today I go into the store and yes, there are more beautiful limes, hard as a rock. I ask the produce guy to cut one open, again dry! Why do the growers send these out (OK, I know why, but it is not right!) and how can the store sell them in good conscience? These limes are so dry, and the inside is a little on the brown side. All they are good for is zest.

[Jenise]

If the insides are turning brown, then they're old limes. Probably been in back of the store for months.

I haven't bought any limes for awhile, but I remember that last time I did, I had the same problem. It's a major disappointment! Mabye try buying Key Limes. They are usually pretty consistent (and so good).

In the last batch of Persian limes that I bought, about half of them had the "no juice" problem. I think it's a characteristic of this year's crop.

-Paul W.

Do you 'beat up' your citrus before you cut? I always roll them around with the heel of my hand, hard, on a cutting board before cutting. It won't make juice appear where there is none but it will unlock whatever the fruit has.

This problem has not shown up in Maryland - yet. I'll keep my eyes open for it. If/When it does show up here, it'll have an impact on my son, who is a bartender and uses lots of limes. I imagine, though, that his restaurant's source of limes is superior to my local Safeway.

Do you 'beat up' your citrus before you cut? I always roll them around with the heel of my hand, hard, on a cutting board before cutting. It won't make juice appear where there is none but it will unlock whatever the fruit has.

Doesn't work with these limes. We have had them show up in Seattle for the past couple years to my recollection. There is just no juice! I thought perhaps it was me and I didn't know how to pick a lime properly (like picking ripe melons). And, it's not a question of where you buy them. I've had the problem whether I get them at the little Mediterranean market or the large scale supermarkets.

Do you 'beat up' your citrus before you cut? I always roll them around with the heel of my hand, hard, on a cutting board before cutting. It won't make juice appear where there is none but it will unlock whatever the fruit has.

Yes, I know that trick, plus putting the citrus into the microwave for a few seconds does the same thing. However, no juice = tricks don't help. Taking them back to the store is the way to go. I'm going to Safeway, their produce has been better than Raley's for months now.

I always choose the smoothest skinned limes I can find in the batch. For whatever reason they always seem to be juicier. But based on experiences described here just sounds like a bad crop in general.

I always choose the smoothest skinned limes I can find in the batch. For whatever reason they always seem to be juicier. But based on experiences described here just sounds like a bad crop in general.

That's how my mother taught me to shop for juice oranges and I have applied it to all citrus purchases (for juicing purposes): look for the ones with smooth, taut skin. It's served me well all these long years.

Mark Lipton

[Jenise]

I always choose the smoothest skinned limes I can find in the batch. For whatever reason they always seem to be juicier. But based on experiences described here just sounds like a bad crop in general.

Agreed. Smooth skin = thinnest rind = juiciest fruit.

The limes I bought were beautiful, thin, smooth skin, bright green, no juice. Before this batch came into the store, I was buying limes with a bit of yellow on them, very juicy and tasty. Maybe a different variety or from a different area.

The rind can't be perfectly smoothe though. Something like this always gives tons of juice.



LOL

Maybe so, however it is not fresh lime juice and tastes less than good.

I have noticed the same lack of juice. I wonder if you peeled the lime, placed it in a blender or food processor, and strained the result might "extract" more juice out of the limes.

I have been having the same problem lately. The limes were purchased from different stores. Same result though.

However, my wife took some limes into the kitchen a few days ago and returned with a good amount of juice. She used a small electric juicer that we have and almost never use.

Today I needed some juice and first squeezed one lime by hand... no juice. The next very small five limes I used the juicer and that produced a little over a half of cup of juice. Exactly what I needed for an excellent margarita.

Solution for me... use an electric juicer for now on.

Tim

I was just having this discussion with my bartenders. I too have noticed lack of juice with our limes. Now I am going to find out what the problem is, I thought it could be the time of the year, but sounds like that is not the problem.

I was just having this discussion with my bartenders. I too have noticed lack of juice with our limes. Now I am going to find out what the problem is, I thought it could be the time of the year, but sounds like that is not the problem.

When you find out, please let me know....I bought another batch of fresh limes today, very little juice. I'm zesting the limes to get my monies worth.