19 Unexpected Ways To Use Orange Juice In The Kitchen

Many people enjoy sipping a cold glass of orange juice alongside their breakfast. But there are many uses for orange juice that do not involve drinking it. This refreshing beverage can be incorporated into a variety of recipes. You can even use it for cleaning-related tasks.

There are a few reasons why orange juice lends itself to so many different applications. First, it is naturally sweet. The sugars in orange juice typically come from fruit, rather than added sugar, according to Eating Well. Added sugar should be consumed in moderation, explains Harvard. Thus, using orange juice is a convenient way for you to limit your intake of added sugar while also adding sweetness to different dishes. Orange juice is also acidic. This means that it can break down some of the proteins in poultry, fish, or meat, leaving you with a fork-tender meal. Keep reading to discover even more ways this versatile drink can come in handy.

Orange juice can help you out when you're looking to sweeten up an ice cream sundae but want to avoid the added sugar contained in traditional syrup. Try soaking some fruit in a little bit of orange juice, then use the fruit to top your sundae.

You can experiment with different fruits until you find the flavor that you like the best. Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries work particularly well for this hack. They'll nicely complement the orange flavor of your juice while adding sweetness to this ice cream topping. 

Orange juice can serve as the base when making a marinade for fish, chicken, and other types of meat. The juice's acidity helps to soften the meat, making it extra tender. Be careful not to let the meat marinate for too long — it can become too tender that it becomes mushy and unappetizing.

When preparing an orange juice marinade, add some seasonings to give it more flavor, such as Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano. If you want to up the heat a bit, consider adding hot sauce or sliced jalapeño pieces.

If you're getting ready to fire up the grill, try making a barbecue sauce using orange juice. The juice will impart a necessary element of sweetness to the sauce. This will also complement your tangier barbecue sauce ingredients, such as vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or mustard.

Barbecue sauce made with orange juice tastes incredible with a rack of ribs. You can also use it with chicken or pork. However, keep in mind that this condiment won't last as long as a bottle from the grocery store, so plan to use up what you make within a week or so.

Upgrade the next ham you cook with an orange juice glaze. Combining orange juice, brown sugar, ground mustard, and some orange zest will help create an especially flavorful dish.

You want to give the ham some time to cook with the glaze over it. However, don't leave the glaze on the entire baking time, as this could dry out the meat. Plan to use a basting brush to glaze the ham for the final 45 minutes that it will be in the oven. The blend of orange juice and brown sugar offers a sweet and tangy flavor that complements your ham. You can also try this glaze over pork roasts or other cuts of meat.

Take out your ice cube tray, fill it up with some orange juice, and place it into the freezer. When frozen, you'll find several different uses for these special orange juice ice cubes.

The next time you make a smoothie, try tossing in a few of the cubes in place of regular ice. This will impart sweetness and orange flavor to your drink. You can also add the ice cubes to a pitcher of sangria to contribute an extra dash of fruity flavor. You could even put these orange juice ice cubes in your glass of water to make it more refreshing.

Adding orange juice to scrambled eggs may seem like a strange piece of advice. However, you can use this juice to add a satisfying sweetness to your eggs, without negatively impacting their texture.

Additionally, citrus fruits — like oranges — can cause you to salivate. The more you're salivating, the better your meal tastes. Thus, adding orange juice to your eggs will not only make them more mouthwatering but also more flavorful. We recommend adding a splash to your bowl of eggs, whisking it all together, then adding the mixture to your frying pan.

Mimosas are a brunch popular cocktail made from orange juice and sparkling wine. If you prefer non-alcoholic beverages, you can also use orange juice to whip up some mocktails for the next brunch or morning gathering you host.

The versatility of orange juice makes it useful in several different mocktails. Mix it with club soda and cranberry juice to make an alcohol-free version of the famous cranberry kiss cocktail. To make a virgin tequila sunrise, mix orange juice and grenadine together. For a mimosa mocktail, you can add some orange juice to sparkling white grape juice.

Try substituting orange juice for water the next time you make a cake. This will help your baked good come out surprisingly moist and flavorful. Try this hack with yellow, white, or angel food cake recipes — these will provide a mild base that won't clash with your orange juice.

This trick is especially useful if the recipe you're following calls for orange extract. Rather than spending money on something that you probably won't use again, you can achieve similar results with this easy swap. Additionally, you can use orange juice in place of water if you want a more intense orange flavor in your cake. If you'd like only a hint of orange in each bite, then only replace half the water with orange juice.

You can use orange juice to make your next grilling session even more successful by filling a spray bottle with the beverage. You can then use this spray bottle to spritz your chicken or ribs while they are grilling.

Applying the orange juice in this way prevents your meat from drying out as it cooks. It also imparts a little sweetness that is certain to upgrade the overall flavor by adding complexity to your recipe. Try spritzing the meat two or three times during the cooking process for the best possible results.

While frozen popsicles are a classic summer treat, many of the options you'll find at the grocery store are full of added sweeteners and artificial ingredients. If you're looking for a healthier option, consider making ice pops using orange juice. 

You'll still get the refreshing treat that you're craving, but you won't need to worry about questionable ingredients being in there. You can freeze the orange juice by itself, or you can make it more interesting by dropping some fresh fruit — such as strawberries, mango, or pineapple — into your popsicle molds before pouring in the juice.

Smoothies require liquid to blend the ingredients together and keep the mixture from turning out too chunky. Milk, yogurt, or water are often used for this purpose, but you can also try using orange juice.

When you add orange juice to a smoothie, it will help your recipe to become smooth while working as a natural sweetener, reducing the need for other sugary additions. This hack is also a good choice for those who want their smoothie to be silky, but can not use dairy for health reasons. 

Orange juice can also be a good substitute for milk when preparing overnight oats. Traditionally, the oats are soaked in milk or yogurt overnight, allowing them to soften up and be ready to enjoy the next morning. But if you like orange juice, this beverage can be used to soak your oats instead. It will accomplish the goal of letting the oats soften while also providing instant flavor. 

Alternatively, you can use a combination of orange juice and milk to keep the oats nice and creamy. You can eat the oats the next morning as is, or you can consider mixing in other ingredients like berries, shredded coconut, dried cranberries, dried apricots, almonds, and walnuts.

If you want to make an especially exciting dessert, try dressing up a plain pound cake or batch of muffins with a scrumptious orange glaze. This hack is as transformative as it is easy. Simply mix orange juice with some powdered sugar, melted butter, and orange zest to create a tasty, fruity icing.

If the glaze turns out too thick, add a few more drops of orange juice. If it turns out too thin, sprinkle in some more powdered sugar. Just don't mix the glaze until you're ready to pour it over the dessert item. If the ingredients are combined too far in advance, the glaze will solidify and need to be warmed up before it can be poured.

Have you ever noticed the tiny brown bits that remain in the pan after searing a steak or cooking some pork chops? These are referred to as fond – and they are not just burnt bits that you want to discard. In fact, these pieces of residue are packed with flavor that you don't want to miss out on.

To take advantage of your fond, you can deglaze the cookware and make a sauce to top the steak, pork chops, or other meat that you just cooked. After removing the meat from the pan, add about ¼ cup of orange juice to the hot pan. As it sizzles, it will release the brown bits. Use a spoon to stir them and the orange juice around, and then pour the resulting sauce over your meat.

Turning to a slow cooker recipe to help make dinner on a busy weeknight is almost always a safe bet. You add all the ingredients in the morning before heading to work and then come back home to a meal that is ready to eat. With a little bit of orange juice, a few seasonings, and a pork shoulder roast, you can make tasty pulled pork in your slow cooker.

Simply add the orange juice to the base of the slower cooker. Then, mix seasonings such as onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, pepper, and smoked paprika together to create a dry rub. Coat the pork roast with the dry rub, place it in the slow cooker, and cook it on low for about 8 hours.

You can try cooking rice in orange juice to elevate the typically bland side dish that is steamed rice. Consider adding some seasonings — such as dried celery, thyme, parsley, or onion powder — to the pot to impart even more flavor.

As always when cooking white rice, you need to follow the ratio of two parts liquid to one part rice. If you're making brown rice, you'll need an additional 1/4 cup of liquid for each cup of rice. While you could replace all of the liquid with orange juice, it might yield too strong of a flavor. Instead, we recommend replacing only about half of the water with orange juice. 

You won't want to wait until next Thanksgiving to give this recipe a try. Incorporating some fresh orange juice and orange zest into cranberry sauce can elevate its flavor. It's also simple to make.

You'll just need to zest and juice the oranges. Then, add some water, orange juice, and sugar to a sauce pot and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Mix in your cranberries, orange zest, and a bit of salt, and let the mixture cook for about 10 minutes. Finally, transfer it to the fridge to cool.

The sauce will pair beautifully with turkey, but can also taste great when served alongside chicken, pork chops, or other cuts of meat. If you do prepare it as part of your Thanksgiving meal, you can make a mouth-watering leftover sandwich by combining the cranberry sauce with pieces of turkey.

To pickle foods, you need an acidic brine – usually made from a combination of vinegar, salt, and sugar. When foods (usually vegetables) are placed in this acidic brine and left sealed in a sealed jar, they eventually become pickled.

Vinegar is the most common acidic liquid used to pickle vegetables, but orange juice is acidic enough that it will work too. If you want to experiment with pickling vegetables using orange juice, red onions are a great place to start. Use the onions pickled in orange juice to top some tacos or add them to a salad.

You may have heard that you can use a lemon to clean your microwave or deodorize your garbage disposal, but did you know that oranges — and orange juice — can also help you with kitchen cleaning tasks? Like lemons, oranges are high in citric acid, which can cut through grease and grime. The fresh orange scent will also make your kitchen smell as clean as it is.

To make a homemade kitchen cleaner from orange juice, simply mix a few cups of hot water, borax, washing soda (a common ingredient in laundry detergent), liquid soap, and orange juice. Add the mixture to your spray bottle, and use it to get rid of grime in your kitchen sink. You can also use the spray to clean the shower or sink in the bathroom.