Juicing a Whole Artichoke
Wash the artichoke thoroughly. Artichokes can have dirt trapped between the leaves, so make sure you are getting the water all through the artichoke. Try using a sprayer to get in between the leaves or dunk it in a sink or bowl full of water.
Cut the stem into slices. Chop the stem away at the base of the artichoke. Cut the stem down the middle, length-wise. Continue to slice it into thin strips until you have four or five pieces.
Chop the artichoke into pieces. Cut the artichoke in half from the tip to the base. Place it flat-side down on the cutting board, and then start cutting the artichoke into slices from one side to the other. How fine you need to make the pieces depends on your juicer. For instance, a hand juicer may require smaller pieces, while an electronic juicer may take larger pieces.
Place the pieces in the juicer or food processor. Run the pieces through the juicer, and collect the juice on the other side. If you don't have a juicer, you can use a food processor or blender to blend it up, and then run it through a strainer before drinking. If you're using a hand juicer, you'll need to add a little at a time as you crank the juicer.
Juicing the Heart
Pull off the outer leaves. Starting from the outer edge, take off all of the outer leaves with your fingers. Keep going until you reach the tender leaves inside. They should have a yellowish hue.
Trim the artichoke. Turn to the base the artichoke. Remove the tough outer layer of skin near the heart, as well as the skin on the stem. Also, cut off any hard leaf tips, as well as any broken leaves left from peeling off the outer leaves. Chop off the top 1 inch (2.5 centimetres) of the artichoke, as well.
Remove the choke to expose the heart. The choke is the hairy part of the artichoke near the heart. The heart is a solid, round piece near the center of the artichoke; it attaches to the stem. It's easiest just to chop the artichoke in half. Remove the white and purple leaves in the center, as well as the hairy part.
Juice the heart. Place the heart in a juicer or food processor. If you're using a juicer, you may need to cut it smaller. Process it through the machine, and extract the juice on the other side. If you're using a food processor or blender, pour it through a strainer before drinking.
Using the Juice
Drink it straight. One option is to drink the juice straight up. You can add a bit of ice or lemon to help the flavor, if you prefer. You can also mix it with a bit of water to help tone down the flavor.
Mix artichoke juice with other juices. While you can drink artichoke juice on its own, it doesn't have a very pleasant flavor. To tone down the flavor, incorporate other juices, particularly sweet ones or ones with strong flavors that can overpower the artichoke juice. Try adding mango, apple, pineapple, or orange juice.
Refrigerate the juice to keep it for a day or two. While juice is best drunk fresh, you can save it for a day or two in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container for best results, and drink it as you normally would.
Freeze the juice for up to a year. You can also stick it in the freezer if you want to keep it for later use. Try freezing it in ice cube trays so you can easily add it to other juices or even smoothies.
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