How to cut a pomegranate

It’s one of those things that seems impossible until you actually take a few minutes to go through a step-by-step guide. Read on and you’ll find out how to cut a pomegranate – minus the secrets and the mess.

What is a pomegranate?

A pomegranate is a fruit. It is typically plump with a tough, leathery, red, or yellowish skin.

The interior of the fruit is filled with small edible seeds surrounded by a bitter white pith.

That’s why we ask the question: how to cut a pomegranate? We want the seeds to be separated from the tough skin and bitter pith.

Known for their tangy, sweet flavor, pomegranate seeds are often used in cooking, baking, and juicing.

Pomegranates are rich in antioxidants and have been linked to various health benefits such as: B. reducing inflammation and reducing the risk of heart disease.

Originally from the Middle East, they are now grown in many parts of the world including the Mediterranean region, California, Arizona – and right here in Australia.

Step by step: Cut pomegranate

Okay, before I go through the steps I want you to think about two things.

First, look at how a pomegranate is arranged inside. You will see that the seeds are grouped into segments with a pith nucleus and a pith running between the segments. A bit like a tangerine.

Second, I want you to remember that you only use the knife about 10% of the time and your hands the other 90% of the time.

So while we’re talking about “slicing” a pomegranate, we’re really mostly pulling it apart with our hands after making a few shallow cuts.

That’s right, you don’t actually cut the pomegranate as that will destroy some of the seeds.

Okay, being aware of those two things should make the whole step-by-step process a lot easier and make more sense.

what you will need

In addition to the pomegranate, you will also need:

• 1 small sharp knife
• 1 bowl of cold water.

Let us begin

First, make sure your pomegranate is clean by washing the pomegranate and drying it with a towel.

Step 1 – With a sharp knife, make a circular slit around the pomegranate.

Step 2 – Pull off the crown section with your hands while leaving the seeds intact.

step 3 – Remove and discard the crown section of skin.

step 4 – Identify where the white pith runs through the fruit. You should see slight ridges along the outside of the pomegranate where the pith is and where the pomegranate clumps or segments begin and end. It’s usually around 5 or 6.

step 5 – With your knife, start making a shallow cut along one of these ridges from top to bottom. Don’t cut into the seeds, you only want to cut through the red pomegranate skin.

step 6 – Repeat for each ridge.

step 7 – Using your fingers, gently pull apart the pomegranate along the cutting line you made. The fruit should naturally break into segments.

step 8 – Remove the white pith from the center of the fruit.

step 9 – Using your fingers, gently pull apart the pomegranate along the cutting line you made. The fruit should naturally break into segments.

step 10 – Hold pomegranate segment by segment over a bowl and use your fingers to gently separate the seeds from the pulp, aiming for the seeds to fall into the skin while keeping the pulp and skin in your hand.

step 11 – When you have removed all the seeds, discard the pith and skin. Scoop out any pulp that fell into the bowl with the seeds (it should float to the top) and discard it.

step 12 – Rinse the seeds in cold water and drain in a colander.

watch the video

Still confused? More of a visual person?

Watching the video you will be sure how to cut a pomegranate.

how did you walk

With a bit of luck you will have a nice bowl of pomegranate seeds like the one below.

What next?

Now that you’ve cut your pomegranate and you have the juicy pomegranate seeds, what do you do with them?

I can recommend these options:

• just eat them handful
• make some pomegranate juice
• turn your pomegranate seeds into homemade grenadine.