Pomegranates are very interesting little fruits. Well, I guess they're not too little, but their delicious seeds you eat are pretty little. The first time I saw someone eating a pomegranate, that I can remember, was in my high school biology class and this girl was making the hugest mess. I'm not sure we were even allowed to eat in class, but she had this weird fruit all wrapped up in this paper towel and her hands were dyed red. I could not figure out what she was eating, and it didn't look very easy to do. Fast forward to a few Christmases ago, when my brother Garrett was on this pomegranate kick. Not sure where he learned how to properly de-seed the fruit, but he clearly had a better handle on it biology girl. Every Christmas since we've had a bowl of pomegranate seeds around the house for the holidays. (Pomegranate season is from September to February.) This past Thanksgiving I had Garrett show me exactly how to de-seed a pomegranate while I took pictures. And now I'm showing you so you won't be in the dark any more about how to eat this tasty little fruit.
Before you get started, know that pomegranate juice stains, so you might want to put on an apron. Also, use a plastic cutting board if you don't want to risk staining your wood ones.
Step 1: Cut the top off the pomegranate, also called the crown.
Step 2: Score the rind in several places around the fruit. Make sure not to cut all the way through.
Step 3: Submerge the pomegranate in a bowl of water. Using both hands, break the pomegranate apart. If you soak it for five minutes or so it will be easier to break apart, but we didn't soak ours. By doing this step under water you don't have to worry about the juice squirting and staining.
Step 4: While under water, use your hand to separate the seeds from the membrane. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the rind will float to the top. Once all the seeds have been removed, scoop out the rind and drain the seeds into a collander.
That's it! They are ready to eat. These little seeds are a perfect combo of sweet and tart, very juicy, and have tons of flavor! You can store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Wow, that sounds so much easier than the way I do it! Thanks! Another pomegranate trick I learned this season: roll the pomegranate against a hard surface and squish it as much as possible then cut a small hole in it and suck and squeeze the juice out. It's like a juice box! Pretty cool but personally, I prefer the seeds.
ReplyDeleteGreat write up sis :) I learned this from watching Alton Brown on the food network. according to him the seeds will last up to 2 weeks when stored in a air-tight container with a paper towel inside. Also I love taking the juice and making a syrup out of it. it goes great on just about anything from ice cream to marinade for steak.
ReplyDeleteThat Alton, he it's great on the tutorials! Awesome post and pics sis! Awesome peeling job little bro!
ReplyDeletePomegranates are really good for you, full of free-radical fighting anti-oxidants! And they're yummy too.