How to De-seed a Pomegranate

Today's tip is all about one of my favorite fruits.  Pomegranates!  They are a fun fruit to eat and their fruit and juice, a perfect mix of sweet and sour, has many health benefits.

There are many ways to peel and de-seed a pomegranate and none of them are wrong, but I will share with you my favorite way, which is pretty easy and prevents the juice from the pomegranate from staining your hands as you peel and de-seed it.

First, you want to cut the pomegranate from the flowery end of the pomegranate about halfway down, cutting it in half and then each of those halves into thirds, so you have six sections cut halfway. Then, while holding the pomegranate under water in a big bowl, you want to pull each of the sections apart. I usually pull it in half, and then pull along the other cuts to separate each of the other sections. Once the sections are separated, you want to leave them soaking in the bowl of water for about 10 minutes to help loosen up the white membranes that are holding the seeds into the pomegranate.

Then, take each section one at a time and, while holding it under water, rub your fingers over the seeds to brush them off the membranes. The red seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl because they are denser than the water, and the white membrane and outer peel will float in the water, because they are less dense than the water.

Next, using a slotted spoon, scoop the peel pieces and the pieces of the white membrane out of the water. This will leave all the red fruit seeds sitting at the bottom of the bowl.

Then, pour the bowl of water and seeds into a strainer to drain the water out. You are now done. Your pomegranate is now ready to eat. You can eat them immediately, or chill them in the fridge for a little while before eating.

Ways to enjoy pomegranate seeds:

1. Eat the seeds as they are. M. and I enjoy eating the seeds by themselves. You can either eat them whole or spit out the little white seed in the inside. (Pomegranate seeds are technically called arils and are consist of a thin “flesh” surrounding the juice and small white seeds.)

2. Sprinkle the seeds on top of salads, yogurt, ice cream, etc. for a decorative fruity addition.

3. For added festiveness for holidays, drop a few seeds into a glass of sparkling cider or champagne. The pomegranate seeds will add a little extra flavor as well as a festive color to the drink.

4. Pomegranate juice is also delicious. One way to juice the pomegranate you can either take the seeds and put them in a blender and pulse it a few times to break open the seeds and then strain the juice through a strainer to catch the little white seeds. Another way to get the juice is to put the seeds in a plastic bag and squeeze out as much of the air as you can before sealing it closed. Then use a rolling pin to roll over the seeds and break them open. Then cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and squeeze the juice out into a cup and enjoy.

5. You can also use pomegranate in recipes. If you find one you like, just follow the recipe.