Pomegranate seeds are bursting with antioxidant rich juice. I'll show you how to de-seed and eat a pomegranate with minimal muss and fuss.
Have you ever seen a plump, ruby-red pomegranate at the store and thought to yourself…I’d really like to have fresh pomegranate seeds, but I just don’t know how!
Well, wonder no more. I’m going to show you how to to pry the snappy seeds bursting with sweet juice out of a pomegranate with minimal muss and fuss. You’ll be done in 10 minutes or less!
Like I mentioned, you’re not really eating a pomegranate, rather, you’re eating the pomegranate’s seeds, which are called arils. The arils are what hold the antioxidant-rich, sweet/tart pomegranate juice, and are great for topping salads, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, or popping ’em plain and pretending they’re healthy Nerds.
Step 1: Pick a pomegranate
Look for a pomegranate that’s large, bright red, and smooth-skinned (the pomegranate in the picture below was a bit more weathered than I typically pick out). It should be heavy for its size, plump and not withered whatsoever.
Step 2: Cut the pomegranate in half
Place a very sharp knife to the right or left of the knob on top, and slice straight down. I usually cut the pomegranate on a plastic cutting board, as the pomegranate juice could stain a wooden board.
Step 3: Cut each half in half again
At this point you should have 4 quarters of the pomegranate.
Step 4: Pop out the seeds
Invert one quarter of the pomegranate over a bowl in the kitchen sink, then pop the seeds out with your fingers
I try and get the majority of the seeds out with the peel inverted and facing me (so the seeds are face down in the bowl,) then flip the peel over to get the remainder out. Make sure you are doing this over the sink because pomegranate juice will be squirting out a bit, and it’s easier to contain and clean the juice out of the sink.
Continue with the remaining three pomegranate quarters.
Step 5: Remove the pith
Fill the bowl of pomegranate seeds with cold water. You’ll want about 3-4 inches of water above the seeds.
Give the pomegranate seeds a little swirl with your fingers to let any loose pith float to the top. The seeds will sink to the bottom, allowing you to easily remove the pith.
Step 6: Drain the seeds
Drain the seeds then refill the bowl with cold water one more time to clean out any remaining pith, and then drain again.
That’s it!
Each pomegranate yields between 3/4 cup and 1 1/2 cups (6-12oz) of pomegranate seeds. Store the seeds in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, though I doubt they’ll last that long. ;)
Still not convinced? Consider this:
Trader Joe’s sells 6oz packages of fresh pomegranate seeds for $4. They also sell whole pomegranates for $2. If you de-seed the pomegranate yourself you’re getting double the seeds, for half the price!
Now go forth, and eat pomegranates ’til you can eat pomegranates no more! (Which will likely never happen.) ;)
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I’m an English girl who has recently really got into cooking, but we don’t do cups over here. I think I’ve found a site that offers the oxo good grips with the cups measurements just like yours in the pic but before I buy I just thought I’d ask, can I use that for both wet + dry measurements? I’ve heard you can’t.
You can use the OXO for both wet and dry, though the dry won’t be 100 accurate. Your best bet is to use them just for wet ingredients!
Oh okay! Which product do you use for dry measurements, then? (sorry for all the questions!)
Here you go!
Thanks!
There’s a much easier way. Pick up a “pom deseeder”. They work great! Health food store or online http://www.pomegranatedeseeder.com
Been using them for a while. Now all my friends have them.
I just de-seeded my first pomegranate!!! Yum! Thanks for this post.
A little taste of summer from snowy, blustery Newfoundland, Canada.
Sarah :)
THANK YOU!! so much for this. i’ve always been afraid of the pomegranite. it’s intimidating. i’ve gazed at it from across the produce aisle but it’s always given me the side eye. i plan to get acquainted this weekend. :)
Bought The 60 Second Pomegranate Deseeder in Nob Hill the other day for $2.99. Give it a try! Honestly took me less than a minute…(Please don’t buy it on Amazon…..they are selling it for $14.99!!)
Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/The-60-Second-Pomegranate-Deseeder/dp/B0071N1VDY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1327615333&sr=8-3
I have never de-seeded a pomegranate before, but I am going to now [now: after my next trip to the grocery store]. Loved the ‘nerds moment’ on KKTNY. But most importantly .. IOWA has TRADER JOES? Since When? It took 23 years and moving out of Iowa for me to be introduced to the amazing-ness that is TJ’s. I may come back now! [Love your blog!]. {chelset}
Thanks for the tutorial! What I love best about this post, though, is knowing that you watch Kim and Kourtney Take NY–and yes, I did see Kim housing those nerds!
Hahaha yesss! Another soul who will admit to watching K&K! ;)
I can’t believe how much I have been loving Scott more now since watching K&K Take NY!!!!!!!!!!! He is a riot! I love Kourt’s crazy couponing!!!!!!!! This weekend will be a GOOD episode! I was super sad without the Office last night…..ummmm I need my Dwight fix!
This is awesome! I can’t get myself to spend the extra money to buy jsut the seeds. IT takes me forever to get the seeds out but to me it’s worth it. Hopefully this will make things faster from now on. I love to get a pom and then melt dark chocolate chips with just a bit of oil in the microwave. Then I add in the pom seeds and stir it up and drop it by spoon fools onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment. Put them in the freezer for a few minutes to harden. When you bite into them the juice explodes in your mouth and you have the delicious cold dark chocolate added to that. IT’s a antioxidant packed flavor explosion!
I de-seed mine in a bowl of luke-warm water! Stops your hands from freezing, and stops those pesky poms spraying their juice everywhere! Plus, because the seed sink and the pith floats, it’s even easier to sort through it! I love pomegranites! My mum and I used to cut a pomegranite in half, take half each, and sit on the sofa, picking the seeds out with a pin! Such fun, and a great fun way to eat a pom! (it takes longer, but that just means you enjoy it for longer!) x
I’ve tried this before … and my kitchen still looks like a murder scene. I love poms, but I can’t seem to get this right. Maybe I’m picking the wrong ones?
Just make sure to keep the pom quarters inside the bowl when you’re getting seeds out. Mine don’t usually spray, but that must just mean yours are extra juicy!
I have seen these little beauties at the store, but had no idea what to do with them, thanks!!!
So much work but totally worth it.