Pomegranate seeds and its juice has taken a rise in popularity lately, mainly because of their nutritional value (good source of vitamins B and C). But, its sweet, juicy taste is also what I desire. The seeds have been used to top a salad, garnish a cocktail, or squeeze into juice. There are many other ways to put this seasonal fruit to use, but I suggest enjoying the pomegranate in its simplest form – munching on the seeds themselves.
For whatever reason, I had always been intimidated by pomegranates. However, I recently decided to take the plunge and learn how to work with them. To my surprise and delight, they are SO easy! Now I’m not sure why I was always afraid. I’m excited to share with you my newly acquired knowledge, so, as promised in my previous post, below is a photo tutorial on how to seed a pomegranate.
Because pomegranate juice stains, my best advice for you is to use a plastic cutting board and remove the seeds in a bowl of cold water. (And, if you’re as clumsy as I am in the kitchen, wear an apron!)
Let’s begin!
First, know how to choose your pomegranate by looking at the color and size. Make sure the skin is colored a fresh bright red with no tears (blemishes are okay). You also want to choose a large one that is heavier in weight. Squeeze the brownish crown. If a cloudy powder puffs out, stay away from that one!
Now that you have your perfect pomegranate chosen, take your chef’s knife and cut halfway through the fruit, starting at the crown.
Using your hands, pry the pomegranate open the rest of the way.
Look how beautiful the seeds look! Your pomegranate may have even more seeds bursting at the seams. My pickings were slim the day I shopped for mine.
Take your chef’s knife again and cut halfway through each side. At this point, the seeds will start falling out and may even squirt on you a little, so watch out!
Again, using your fingers, tear the fruit the rest of the way so you now have four sections.
Get out your bowl of cold water and start removing the seeds. I use my stockpot because it is large and easy to clean. Remove the seeds under the water to avoid any juice squirting on you.
To make it easy on you, the membrane will float to the top while the seeds sink.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the membrane then drain the seeds in a colander. They are now ready to be consumed or used however you choose! You can refrigerate them in a tightly sealed container for two weeks. Or, freeze them for up to three months. If you freeze them, start by spreading them in a single layer on a wax paper lined tray and freeze for two hours. Transfer them to a freezer bag.
Now that you know how to seed a pomegranate, there is no excuse for you to not go out and get one now! But, hurry, because pomegranate season only runs from October to January/February!
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