The pomegranate fruit, not to be confused with the palm of granite, is receiving a lot of praise for the health benefits and delicious flavor the seeds give. Pomegranates are pinkish-red orbs packed with crispy and juicy seeds (called arils). The best season to get a low-price pomegranate is late October to early November.
Fun fact: Most people wonder how to peel a pomegranate, but the fact is that pomegranates aren't peeled. Rather, they are de-seeded. The term "how to de-seed a pomegranate" is more technically accurate. Still, we'll use the word "peel" in a non-literal context.
Several individuals find it daunting to de-seed or peel a pomegranate. One could get stained by the pomegranate arils or turn the kitchen into a crime scene. However, with the guide below, you'll be able to cut a pomegranate like a boss.
Why Are Pomegranates De-Seeded?
Pomegranates are de-seeded for their nutrients.
Pomegranate seeds are brimming with antioxidants, B-complex vitamins, calcium, dietary fiber, manganese, vitamin C, vitamin K, protein, potassium, and more healthy compounds that help improve your body and heart health and reduce inflammation.
In the National Library Of Medicine blog Potent Health Effects Of Pomegranate, you can confirm pomegranate seeds' nutritional and health significance.
What Is The Easiest Way To Peel Pomegranates?
The 'Star Fish' Method
The easiest way to peel a pomegranate is using the starfish method. It is painless and will reduce any mess while you're cutting.
The first step is to put your cutting board on your kitchen slab. Then, wear your apron because you might mess your clothes with fruit juices.
Are you done? Now we're ready for the pomegranate fruit.
The second step involves cutting a circle around the edge and pulling the top off. Next, cut around the cork and pull that out too.
It can be a bit tricky when cutting the pomegranate quarters.
For the third step, after removing the top part of the pomegranate. It would help if you cut each side of the pentagonal walls, then pull them apart to get easy access to the arils.
Next, place the pomegranates in a large water bowl and remove the seeds with your hands or a wooden spoon. You can easily separate the kernel from the peel. It will float over the surface, and the pomegranate seeds will sink to the bottom.
Continue de-seeding the pomegranates and grease seeds with the filter until you finish.
Also, you can manually pull the white pieces, rip a portion of the arils, and eat it like an orange slice.
Finally, strain the water bowl and run it over fresh water to remove any remaining rind. Then pour out the water.
Good job!
Another unconventional method you can employ is shaking the pomegranate to loosen up the seeds, then use a tube and jam it there. Hence, you can pour those seeds out,
But an even easier way is to use a Pomegranate Seed Removal Machine, which you will learn about as you read.
You can also watch the YouTube video "6 Ways To Peel A Pomegranate.
How Do You Get The Pomegranate Out Of The Shell?
There are various ways to get the pomegranate out of the shell. You can use a knife and slice around the edge or a sturdy wooden spoon and push it out in one piece.
One way to get the pomegranate out of the shell is to cut off both ends of the fruit, then make an incision down one side, cutting through the peel but not all the way through. Then, submerge your hand in the water and use your fingers to break open one segment at a time. The fruit will pop open, and you can pull it apart into smaller sections.
How Do You Peel A Pomegranate By Hand?
Apply palms to the pomegranate and roll gently so that all seeds can pop out from inside the pomegranate. Pierce the pulp and squeeze the juices.
Do You Cut Or Peel A Pomegranate Fruit?
It would be best to slice up the white pulp and not rip the leaves. After removing the cuts, gently split the fruit by hand. Pour water into a bowl.
Finally, affirm the segments with the fingertips of a clean cloth, removing any seeds.
How Can You Freeze Pomegranate Seeds?
When you have removed the seeds from pomegranates, you've got to keep them moist. Please place them in one layer in an airtight container(baking sheet). Set aside for 2 hours in the refrigerator before you eat. Once frozen, put them in freezer bags or containers.
What To Do With Pomegranate Seeds
Traditional medicine has made use of pomegranate seeds for centuries. People believe pomegranates to be an aphrodisiac agent for curing coughs and colds. Still, you can use this fruit for creative uses like:
- Make a pomegranate drink.
- Top your yogurt with the seeds.
- Sprinkle on a bowl of rice
- You can cook sweet and savory dishes like salads and vegetables.
How To Make A Pomegranate Juice?
When it comes to making juice from pomegranate, you can follow this delicious recipe below:
- Pour 1 cup of pomegranate seeds into a blender.
- As soon as you blend, immediately pour the drink into a fine sieve. Note that you can over-blend. If you want, add bitter core.
- Add sugar to desired sweetness level.
A small pomegranate usually produces 1-ounce juice per gram. Pomegranate is very acidic that it can react with metals.
You can read up on the acidity of pomegranates in the ResearchGate study
"Antioxidant Activity of Pomegranate Juice and Punicalagin."
How To Remove Pomegranate Juice Stains?
Follow these steps to remove any pomegranate stains on the clothes that you are wearing.
- Put the material in the bowl.
- Pour hot water over a sheet of fabric using a brush.
- Whenever stains do not disappear, use stain remover; The brushing continues.
- Wash it with regular soap.
Is There A Pomegranate Seed Removal Tool or Machine?
The pomegranate seed removal tool or machine is a device you can use to remove the seeds from the pomegranate. You remove the roots by pulling them out of the fruit with a scooping action.
The tool or machine can be metal, plastic, or wood. The design is like a scoop with teeth on one side and a handle on the other.
Where Can I Find The Best Pomegranates?
It's readily available from almost any grocery store. However, if you live near their growing area, you can find these at the farmer's markets. You may find the ripest pomegranate that cracks and expands beyond the peel's capacity.
You can read up on other healthy fruits in the Ultiblog article 15 Delicious Blue Fruits & Vegetables.
Final Thoughts On How To Peel A Pomegranate
As delicious as these arils in savory or delicious recipes are, the extraction technique may seem very fussy and messy. But with the guide in this post, you should be able to get your pomegranate quarters without a cinch.
Just a reminder; slice your pomegranate on your cutting board. Shake the bowl, so the seeds sink to the bottom, then remove the membranes and rind floating on top of the bowl. Let them dry out.
"There you have it, and we're done! It's quite elementary and straightforward.
FAQs
[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0="h2" question-0="How Does One Tell If Pomegranate is Bad?" answer-0="Bad pomegranates taste awful! Other characteristics that spoilt pomegranates shows are unusual color and texture. If seeds or fruits turn dark brown in appearance or the fruit becomes musky when handling, they may be considered spoilt." image-0="" headline-1="h2" question-1="How Do You Tell If A Pomegranate Is Ripe?" answer-1="During its maturation, the pomegranates become more angular rather than square. The pomegranate interior is red without green. A fresh pomegranate can feel heavy as its seed is overflowing with juice. Besides skin texture, it can help to determine its surface. Thin skin indicates an earlier-ripening pomegranate or pomegranates with light skin." image-1="" count="2" html="true" css_class=""]
