Is it just you, or is everything coming up pomegranates? We know the feeling; we love the winter fruit, which is available fresh between October and January in much of the country. In fact, we adore its bright, juicy profile so much we have dozens of pomegranate recipes! There’s one thing that can be a little daunting, though; seeding a pomegranate. There’s no need for your kitchen to look like someone just made a frenzied trip to the E.R.; you can keep the crimson juice contained with a few simple tricks. Watch this video, or, if you’re more of a words person, simply follow the steps below.
How to Seed a Pomegranate
1. Cut Off the Crown
Using a sharp paring knife, carefully cut off the top of the pomegranate to reveal its juicy seeds. Set its crown aside.
2. Score the Pomegranate
Look for the parts of the pomegranate where the interior membrane meets the pomegranate skin, and make four or five sectional cuts. If you make the cuts at the membrane, the pomegranate should open like a flower.
3. Add the Pomegranate to Water
Tired of having a kitchen counter, cutting board, or floor awash in horror movie-esque pomegranate juice? This is the move: Carefully set the fruit in a bowl of cool water. It works like a charm.
4. Remove Seeds
Use your fingers to gently remove the seeds. If it seems like this is a fool’s errand, and you think you’ll just have a mess of pulp, skin, seeds and membranes all murky together in a wet bowl, know that the seeds will sink, and the membrane or skin will float to the top. You may lose the tiniest bit of juice during this process, but it should stay in the bowl.
5. Scoop Out Extras
Now that all the stuff you don’t need is floating on top, it’s easy to remove it with your hands or a spider strainer.
6. Strain Out the Seeds
Use a spider strainer, pour the whole bowl through a strainer set in the sink, or do what you need to do to get those beauties out of that bowl! (We’ve definitely used colanders that have smaller holes.)
7. Enjoy!
The sky’s the limit with fresh cranberries. Try the yogurt panna cotta with winter citrus seen here; sprinkle them on to a chocolate tart; dot your favorite salads with them. They’re fabulous in drinks like this gin fizz. And don’t forget about the joy of eating them straight from your hands.
