Ever buy a pomegranate only to bring it home and have to clean up a big juicy mess after cutting into it? I think most people have run into that, but no more! Learn how to cut a pomegranate without creating a juicy mess with this quick and easy method. It will become your favorite way to open pomegranates in no time!
Pomegranates, the popular and exotic, ruby red fruit originating in what is now modern day Iran, and Northern India, can be a mess to work with. Typically in season from September to May, the pomegranate's deep red color makes it a popular fruit during the winter months and holiday season in North America.
Health Benefits of Pomegranates
Used as a garnish in salads, desserts, and even drinks, pomegranate boasts several health benefits. Rich in Vitamin C, and K, and dietary fiber, there is no reason not to enjoy plenty of this fruit during the winter months!
Pomegranates are filled with numerous small juice filled seeds called 'arils'. When cut or burst open these seeds tend to stain everything they touch a deep ruby red. Even as a professionally trained Chef, I was never taught how to cut a pomegranate without having the juice run everywhere! Tired of wasting all that juice, (and staining my cutting board and dish towels red), I decided to search out how to properly handle this beautiful looking fruit.
Pomegranates contain 12% of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin C in just 100g of fruit.
- Chef Markus
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How To Cut A Pomegranate - With No Mess!!
Most people, and chefs I know will simply cut the pomegranate in half, and then submerge it in a bowl of water to loosen the individual seeds without dripping and squirting the red juice everywhere.
Simply cutting the fruit in half though will cause a gush of red liquid to quickly spread across your cutting board. To avoid this problem, I endeavored to find out how pomegranates are cut open by the locals who have grown them in the Mediterranean for years!
After a trip to the library and sifting through various cookbooks, I found this method. Watch the video below for a full tutorial on how to cut a pomegranate the right way!
How To Cut A Pomegranate - Video Tutorial
How To Cut A Pomegranate Step-By-Step
It appears that "peeling" the fruit works much better than cutting right into the pomegranate!
- Start by scoring around the top end of the pomegranate fruit. Then peel back the skin, revealing the individual fruit sections
- Cut lines into the skin where the pith connects to the peel. There are usually 4 or 5 sections of seed clusters in the pomegranate.
- Gently break away the individual fruit sections.
- Carefully remove the individual arils from the pomegranate into a bowl!
This is by far the easiest (and no mess!) way I have found to cut open a pomegranate! You can even leave the fruit clusters intact and simply eat the seeds right from the pith with no juice wasted!
Now that you have cut and peeled the pomegranate, what to do with all those pomegranate arils!? I've collected various recipes from bloggers around the world, to inspire you to use fresh pomegranate in new and creative ways!
Recipes Using Fresh Pomegranate
Now that you have all that freshly cut pomegranate, what do you do with it?! Here is a small collection of recipes to help you use up all that delicious pomegranate!
1. Warm Brie Crostini with Fresh Apple & Pomegranate
2. Pomegranate, Pear, and Pecan Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette - From Sweet and Savory Pursuits
3. Vanilla Pomegranate Mulled Wine - From Justine Celina
4. Pomegranate Lemon Roasted Chicken - From Salt and Lavender
5. Persimmon Cake with Pomegranate Frosting - From Danis Cookings
6. Spicy Meatballs in Pomegranate Sauce - From Vikalinka
7. Turmeric Quinoa with Pomegranates and Walnuts - From Wendy Polisi
8. Pomegranate Apple Chicken Salad - From The Creative Bite
9. Pomegranate Cherry Parfait - From Upstate Ramblings
10. Healthy Pomegranate Breakfast - From Compass and Fork
11. Homemade Pomegranate Syrup - From The Missing Lokness
This post contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated if a purchase is made through the links provided. For more information please read my affiliate disclosure.
Sean@Diversivore
Simple and perfect, Markus! I've often thought that we over-complicate preparing pomegranate, and this tutorial made me realize that a botanically aware approach to the fruit is totally the way to go. We don't tend to think of it, but the pomegranate is a semi-segmented fruit (a berry, as I just found out), and by working around the segments you let nature do all the hard work for you. It's a great approach, and one I'll definitely be trying in the future. Cheers!
Markus Mueller
I know! I was as surprised as you to learn it's technically a berry! Pretty cool though what nature creates eh!
Christy
This is very interesting! Sometimes I avoided pomegranates because I didn't want the mess.
Markus Mueller
I had the same problem....This fixes that!
Gabrielle @ eyecandypopper
That is similar to how I've been doing it, I found it the least wasteful, and the whole banking on it with a spoon has never worked for me. Maybe it's because I wait too long to eat it and it's too dry by then. haha Lovely compilation of recipes to use this delicious fruit!
Markus Mueller
Glad it was a useful video!I'd love to hear if you try any of the recipes! I made a lentil salad the other day with pomegranate and the juicy bursts of fruit where a welcome addition!
Denise from Urb'n'Spice
Thanks for sharing such a lovely collection of pomegranate recipes. I am thrilled to read through all of them and your great tips on how to cut one neatly. I love buying many pomegranates when they are in season - my favourite dish is cauliflower tabouleh with tiny cubes of roasted sweet potato, fresh herbs, feta crumbles and many of the ruby gems of pomegranate sprinkled on top. I look forward to trying many of the recipes you shared.
Markus Mueller
That sounds like a delicious tabouleh recipe! I'll have to try it myself!
Cathy
Good to know! I never liked the idea of losing juice in a bowl of water. Now I want to go and get a pomegranate!
Natasha @ Salt & Lavender
Thanks for including my recipe! Love pomegranates... I just snacked on one about an hour ago, actually haha.
Markus Mueller
Your welcome:)