Easily peel an orange by rolling it around on the table first

We're still getting great oranges around here, so this hack from Virginia (from Dublin, Ireland!) will come in handy at lunchtime:

I asked my grocer today to point me to the easy-peel oranges, and he told me that any orange (also: clementine, satsuma, grapefruit, etc.) becomes easier to peel if you gently press and roll it on the table before peeling. This loosens the skin fibers if you do it gently but firmly - do not pound, squeeze or squash - and it really works! I'm never paying extra for easy-peel citrus fruit again.

Related: Clementines: the ultimate in kid-friendly citrus

Comments

[Brian]

The same thing works for hardboiled eggs: tap them all around and then gently roll them on a hard surface.

They'll peel much more easily.

[Uly]

This also makes them easier to squeeze, which isn't such a big deal with oranges but which REALLY MATTERS when it comes to limes!

[Cynthia Samuels]

I learned years ago from a friend that if you slice off the bottom and the top, then make one cut down the side, that also helps. The two tricks together would be gangbusters! I use it especially on grapefruits since they are so large that they're harder to peel.
Happy spring everyone.

[ADRIAN'S BLOG]

Good information for me about orange

[nonplus]

I'll need to try this on peelable citrus.

But like Uly said, I always roll my lemons and limes before juicing them. For juicing, you want to apply as much force as they'll take without bursting and roll 'em around until they're soft and squishy. This way you'll get much more juice out of the fruit (I know I'd learn *something* in home ec).

[Kidlet]

I do this all the time, though I haven't noticed that it makes the orange easier to peel... in fact sometimes I find it makes it messier. The main benefit I've noticed is that the fruit (orange, lemon, lime, whatever) is far juicier than when you start.