REMOVING SEEDS FROM POMEGRANATE

We are open to suggestions but if you have gloves and plastic apron, put them on before opening the pomegranate to be safe! Some of us have good luck with the under water method and some of us like the cut and pound method. Both achieve the goal–the removal of the arils (seeds) that are the only edible part.

1. Remove the stem end. Score the fruit through the skin only from stem to bottom about 4 places around the sphere. Place in bowl of water wide enough to get both hands in. After 4 – 5 minutes, break apart at the scored skin. Turn inside out under water and seeds pop out. Your fingers should remain unstained as long as you are under water. The seeds drop to bottom of the bowl and membrane and skin floats to the top. Strain out membrane and skin and discard. Then strain out seeds. DISADVANTAGE: Juice is lost into the water that gets discarded. ADVANTAGE: Clean fingers and less clothing spots from squirting juice.

2. Wash exterior of fruit. Cut in half crosswise. (perpendicular to the stem) Turn over in the palm of you hand, over a bowl and gently tap skin with the back of a metal measuring cup or large tablespoon. Seeds will pop out and hopefully land in the bowl. Any juice should go into bowl, too. DISADVANTAGE: Can be messy! Some arils (seeds) will break. ADVANTAGE: Juice is captured in bowl too; not discarded in water as in method 1.

Of course, if you just want to eat the seeds, wash the exterior, cut or break in half and pick out seeds, eating as you go. Plan on red stained fingers and a slow delicious nutritious food experience.