A delicious step-by-step tutorial and video detailing two methods for how to open and de-seed a pomegranate.
Hey guys! I have a new How-To Tuesday tutorial for you today. And actually, this one includes a bonus — not just one, but two fool-proof methods for how to open and de-seed a pomegranate.
Because I don’t know about you, but I absolutely adore these little gems (that literally look like cute little gems, right?!). And during the short time of year that they’re in season, I always keep at least a few pomegranates stocked in my fridge so that I can sprinkle them on salads, mix them into one of my favorite salsas, brighten up some tacos, garnish some sangria or cocktails or ice cream, or — my favorite — just pop them as a snack like candy. So good!!
That said, though, pomegranates definitely make you work for it, and can be notoriously tricky (and messy) to open. So today, I thought I want to share with you my favorite two methods for safely opening a pomegranate and getting all of those delicious little gems (did you know they’re technically called “arils”) out of the shell and into your recipe…without splattering bright red pomegranate juice all over you in the process.
Do you know both methods?
How To Cut A Pomegranate | 1-Minute Video
Well, if you regularly eat pomegranates, you probably know that the trick to successfully de-seeding them is to do most (or all) of the process underwater. Because pomegranate juice loves to splatter and stain, so keeping the arils submerged most of the time is the best way to avoid having a red polka-dotted sweater. ;)
So fill a big mixing bowl with some water, grab a sharp knife and a cutting board, and give one of these two methods a try!
How To Cut A Pomegranate
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 pomegranate 1x
Description
Learn these two easy (and safe!) methods for how to open and de-seed a pomegranate.
Ingredients
- 1 pomegranate
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with water. Set aside.
- Wash the outside of the pomegranate thoroughly. (This is important since the outer skin may eventually be underwater with the pomegranate seeds.)
- Hold the pomegranate firmly on a cutting board and use a large sharp kitchen knife to carefully make a vertical cut down the middle to split it in two. Then look for the ridges (see video) where the pomegranate arils reach the outer edges of the pomegranate, and use your knife to carefully score the outside skin along those ridges.
- Then (option 1) completely submerge one pomegranate half in the bowl of water, and spread the pomegranate open into a flour. Use your fingers to carefully separate the arils from the rind, gently prying the rind apart more and more to reveal all of the arils. Or (option 2) firmly hold the pomegranate arils-side-down right above the water, and use a strong wooden spoon to hit the outside pomegranate skin on all sides until the arils drop down into the water.
- You’ll notice that the arils will sink, and the rind will float. Once all of the arils have been separated, remove and discard the floating pieces of rind. And then use your fingers to once more pick through all of the arils that are sitting on the bottom to remove any tiny pieces of rind that are still stuck to individual arils. Remove and discard this rind.
- Then strain out the water, and your pomegranate arils are ready to go! Use immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Finally a way to eat these fruit.
Wonderful information, thank you
Thanks! Love pomegranate, and have a special “pom shirt” that is a busy random red polka dot print (courtesy of Poms of the Past!)! But I’m gonna give it a break this season in favour of your method! Whee! Life just became easier! ?
I did a vertical cut – stem to stern – and discovered when looking at the insides that I had cut it the wrong way! (Of course I just read the directions instead of watching the video before diving in…) I found the amount of debris left to be quite annoying, though I’m sure it would be better if I cut the pomegranate in the right direction. Despite the issues I encountered, I’m feeling a lot more confident about using pomegranates now. Your video, which I watched after the fact, was very helpful.
Ok, my sister and I LOVE pomegranates. We always joke that if our job was deseeding pomegranates, we would be very poor – especially if we got paid per pomegranate!! Its silly, I know;) But the de-seeding a pomegranate struggle is a real thing!! Glad to know that we are not alone! This tutorial is great! Excited to try your methods!
Hi Ali! We discovered the under water method last year and it has been a huge time saver! Hubby is a pom-aholic. Our girls have grown to love them too. Love the pop of color in holiday salads and drinks. Thanks for the video, it was awesome ?
Nice technique! Never thought of this before, so thank you for saving some of my clothes! I’d always used the peel-and-pull technique, my issue has always been a seed falling somewhere undetected until, like a land mine, it’s stepped on and, boom, instant stain!
This is the step I’ve been missing all along! Our neighbors have a pomegranate tree and they always share them. They don’t look like the ones at the store; they’re small and orange on the outside with pale pink arils, but they pack so much flavor! I bust them open and devour them, picking out as much of that pesky white stuff as I can. Can’t wait to use the water bath next time! Thank you!!!
Water bath for the win! :)
This is my preferred method for pomegranates as well but I never cut the whole way through because you cut the seeds and make a big red mess. I sear the outside of the skin and then gently break it apart. Then follow your steps on the submersion method!