The pomegranate is often referred to as the jewel of fruits as it has a bright deep red color and juicy, delicious seeds that appear like jewels. These seeds are called arils are very tasty and are full of nutrients hence making pomegranate a fruit of choice for use in salads, desserts, and drinks. Nevertheless, peeling and seeding a pomegranate can be quite challenging especially if you have never attempted it before. In this article, you don’t have to worry anymore as we will show you the easiest method to peel and deseed a pomegranate without all the mess and stress.
Learn the Anatomy of a Pomegranate
Before you get started, it may help you to know what the inside of a pomegranate may look like. The outer part is composed of a hard-bodied thick waxy rind which protects the seeds located in the inner portion. The arils, on the other hand, are separated by the spongy white portion. These contain spores that germinate into seeds and fruits and are further divided by membranes. To access the seeds without spillage, you will be precise while seeking the fruit.
What You’ll Need:
All that is required for pomegranate peeling is a few simple items:
- A sharp knife
- A cutting board
- A bowl of water (optional)
- A large spoon or a small paring knife
- Paper towels or a clean kitchen towel (to catch any juice)
Now, the time has come to describe the step where you peel and seed the pomegranate.
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Scoring the Skin
First things first, place the pomegranate on the counter. Start scoring the skin of the pomegranate at the top with a sharp knife, making a shallow cut around the side crown. Avoid cutting too deep as it would expose the seeds inside. Cut through only the outer skin.
Wherever there are natural ridges in the pomegranate, cut from top to bottom in a shallow approach. You should aim for making about four to six cuts with each evenly spaced around the fruit. Do not go cutting too deep. The goal here too is to break the skin without the blades penetrating through the arils.
Step 2: Dissection of the Pomegranate
Having made the proper score lines, proceed to gently pull apart the body of the pomegranate into sections. This can be done anywhere along the other score lines made above. The fruit will easily come apart into several pieces shaped like wedges displaying the seeds and inner, thin white membrane.
Step 3: Take out the seeds
This is the most interesting step: draining out the seeds. Then place each segment in a bowl and with a spoon, gently tap its reverse side. While tapping, the seeds will fall into the bowl. Don’t forget to do this over the bowl or a kitchen sink, because pomegranate juice can be messy.
Otherwise, you may also use your hands to gently pull the seeds out. The tissue is plush and sponge-like, so the seeds are not too hard to dislodge this way. Just be careful doing this so you don’t crush the seeds too much and make them give off too much juice.
Step 4: Water Immersion (Optional)
If you’re anxious about creating a mess, one clever tip is to place the pomegranate sections in a bowl containing water as you carry out the task of removing the seeds. The seeds will drop peaking on the bottom and the white tissue will come rising on top facilitating the clearing of the two. This also helps avoid juice from spitting, which is good for people who do not want to stain their clothes or tops.
Step 5: Elimination of the Tissue
After you have removed all the seeds from the fruit, you probably will still have some parts of the white membrane with the seeds. These fragments could be uncomfortable so you probably will want to hunch them out before enjoying the seeds. Simply pick out any remaining pieces of membrane by hand or skim them off if you’ve used the water method.
Hints for Skinning a Pomegranate Without a Mess
For those who hate mess, peeling a pomegranate can create a potential for mess up because of the staining character of its juice. Follow these simple tips to help you keep everything clean and tidy:
- Work where it is clean: Ensure that there is enough area that can be worked with and that a few drips of the work done can be caught using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
- Put on an apron: There is a high risk of clothes getting stained with pomegranate juice, therefore, a simple apron or old clothes will be appropriate when peeling off the fruit.
- Employ the water method: As noted above, doing the pumping method below the water will greatly stop seeds from pomegranate from being scattered.
- Be gentle: Avoid being aggressive with the fruit because squashing or extra pressure will burst the seeds introducing a splash of water.
Pomegranate Seeds: What You Can Do With Them
Once you have managed the knack of opening the pomegranate and, the white jacket of its seeds removed also, there are numerous ideas as to how to treat these ruby red arils. Here are just a few ideas:
- Eat them fresh: The best way how to deal with pomegranate seeds is to consume them after the skin is molded. By themselves or with a spoon of yogurt they make a nice snack.
- Add to salads: Pomegranate seeds enhance flavor as well as color in salads. Toss them in a green salad with spinach, nuts, and goat’s cheese.
- Top desserts: The seeds can also be sprinkled over desserts like cakes, tarts, pipes of ice cream garnishes, etc.
- Make juice: The seeds can also be squeezed to extract fresh juice from pomegranates. Simply, the seeds can first be ground in a blender or food processor and then the mixture separately strained through a sieve to collect the juice.
- Include in savory dishes: Pomegranate seeds will offer the unexpected dimension of sweetness and tang that complements their soaked pomegranate juice rice as well as roasted vegetables and other meats.
The Health Advantages of Eating Pomegranates
Pomegranates are not only tasty but also full of nutritious benefits. The seeds contain many antioxidant properties that help to fight free radicals that are harmful to your cells. In addition, pomegranates are rich in vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.
Research has indicated that pomegranate can help prevent heart disease, reduce inflammation, and even certain types of cancer. So, how do pomegranates taste good? They add more than a good taste to your diet.
Preservation of Pomegranate Seeds
In case, you are not going to eat all the seeds at once, then there is very little concern, as they can also be kept inside the fridge for a week. Place the seeds into an air-tight container and place the container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Alternatively, you can keep pomegranate seeds in the freezer for longer periods. Arrange them evenly on a baking pan and freeze. Afterward, pack the frozen seeds into a suitable container or a freezer bag. Calories and Hassle are reduced when frozen pomegranate seeds are used for smoothies and baked foods.
Conclusion
There is no need for you to dread the thought of peeling a pomegranate. Once you have the tools that you require and have practiced a bit, peeling and seeding the fruit will be as easy as pie with the added advantage that there should be no mess to contend with. By following these steps, eating pomegranate seeds will no longer be a problem as you will relish the sweet and sour taste of the seeds sooner rather than later.
Including these bright edible jewels in any kind of food makes it possible to enjoy its flavor and health benefits to the fullest. Hence, the next time you come across a pomegranate, do not let it intimidate you instead use this guide to peel and seed a pomegranate without fuss!
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