Pomegranates are an amazing fruit that has a sweet and tart flavor. They can be used to add a pop of color and texture to a salad, roasted vegetable dish, or even as a spoonful in a dessert.
The pomegranate is protected by a tough outer husk that can make it hard to cut open. This step breaks down the husk so that you can easily break it apart to remove the seeds from the inside.
1. Cut the Blossom End
Pomegranates are a delicious snack with plenty of health benefits, including antioxidants, vitamin C and potassium. The seeds are also a good source of fiber, making them an easy addition to salads, smoothies and cocktails.
The best way to cut a pomegranate is to remove its blossom end. This is the part that looks like a crown/flower, and it is located at the top of the fruit.
To do this, use a paring knife to score the sides of the pomegranate. Look for slight ridges on the surface of the pomegranate; these will help you score it correctly.
Once you have scored the skin, peel the pomegranate with your fingers to break it up into small pieces. This makes it easier to remove the seeds (more commonly known as arils) in the next step.
2. Score the Skin
Pomegranates are beloved the world over for their sweet-tart flavor, antioxidant-packed juice and beautiful red color. Their inedible red peel protects the ruby-red, jewel-like kernels, or arils, inside — each with a juicy seed attached.
To remove the pomegranate’s skin without cutting into the fruit itself, Simonian recommends scoring the peel from end to end, beginning where the inner white membrane meets the peel and working along the outside of the fruit. Once scored, holding the pomegranate over a bowl of water, break it apart into several sections.
Using your thumbs, carefully press down on the arils to pop them free of their protective membranes. The plump, juicy seeds will sink to the bottom of the water, while the inedible membranes will float to the top.
3. Pull Out the Arils
The sweet and tart arils (seeds) of a pomegranate are the edible part, adding delicious and nutritious flavor to salads, savory dishes, desserts and drinks. They’re also full of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C and folate.
The easiest way to remove the seeds of a pomegranate is by submerging them in water. This method is ideal, because it allows the arils to sink to the bottom and the white membranes to float on top making it easy to separate them.
Use a sharp paring knife to cut along the ridges in the skin from top to bottom, but not too deep. You want to be able to cut through the red skin without piercing any of the seeds inside.
Gently pull the sections apart to reveal the arils. This is the best way to keep them whole and intact for eating or juicing, and it will ensure that you don’t have a big mess of splatter stains on your hands or clothes.
4. Pop Out the Seeds
Getting a pomegranate open can be tricky if you don’t have the right technique. You can cut the fruit into quarters and then separate it into halves, exposing the seeds.
Alternatively, you can cut the pomegranate along the ridges and then pull the segments apart. These ridges are where the inner light membranes divide each section, and they are also home to the white seeds inside.
You’ll need a sharp paring knife to make the cuts. Score the skin of the pomegranate from top to bottom on each of the ridges, being careful not to pierce the seeds.
Once you’ve scored all the ridges, tear open your pomegranate and it should come out easily without spilling any juice.
The next step is to pop out the seeds from between the membranes. Here’s how to do it: