My first memory of eating fruit involves being at the pomegranate tree and my mom saying something about red juice stains all over my shirt. I don’t recall how I opened that fruit, but here is how I open pomegranates today for my kids.
First, score the peel in a circle about two inches below the top (the spiky flower end).
Then pop the top off by pulling on the flower end as a handle and prying into the score line with your fingertips.
Next, slice off the bottom (the stem end). Only slice about an inch off.
Here’s the bottom sliced off:
Now score the sides of the pomegranate from top to bottom along the white segment walls. There are usually around five of these segment walls.
Here’s the scoring as seen from the side:
You can now pull the segments apart fairly easily and cleanly.
All pulled apart, you’ll have five or so hunks of pomegranate to eat. You can peel off the segment walls as necessary.
I’m not about to tell you how to eat a pomegranate now. But if you grow your own, then I suspect it is similar to how we ate ours today:
In the yard, right by the tree. A little messy, like a childhood is meant to be.
Quick video:
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My pomegranates are not quite ripe yet but I make jelly with the juice. My husband used to make the best wine them when he was alive.
What varieties of pomegranate bushes do you have? I will try your technique – I watched a Padma Lakshmi video where she cuts a square on the top of the crown pulls the crown off, then sections in quarters. That works for me with minimal splatter. I like your version too – your tips are great!
Hi Mariangela,
I only have two bushes. One is an unknown variety that ripens late, and the other is Utah Sweet, which ripens early — we usually finish them in August.
Greg’s method is cleaner and easier than Padma’s (whom I adore). I’ve tried so many techniques and this is the one I’ve permanently adopted. ?
Thank you! I am going to try it ASAP.
This looks like a great suggestion, Greg! I have fond childhood memories of my mom putting old T-shirts on my sister and me, and sending us out to sit on the curb and eat our pomegranates out there. We had no method to our madness, and just did what we could to get at those seeds. Truly a messy affair! Now that I’m a grandma, I can give my granddaughters a better option!
Hi Greg, I really enjoy your posts and I am learning a lot as I venture into food growing. I have two pomegranate trees and this year about half of them are rotten inside, even though they look perfect from the outside. Any thoughts?
Hi Liz,
I’ve encountered this kind of thing a few times but nothing like your numbers. Maybe your pomegranates had Alternaria fruit rot: https://www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/pomegranate/alternaria-fruit-rot-black-heart/
see https://kare.ucanr.edu/programs/Plant_pathology/Black_Heart_of_Pomegranate/
OOps! Didn’t see you already posted this.
This problem has been with me for several years but it’s never been more than a minor annoyance. The big problem is that I give away most of my fruits, and I’ve always got to hope my recipients don’t get a bad one. That would be some kind of terrible gift!
Hey Greg, this is awesome!
One of our neighbors has multiple pomegranate trees so they keep us supplied. This will certainly come in handy. Thank you good sir. Hope all is well.
Best way is to fill a large bowl with water, put pomegranate in it, cut it in half underwater and pull all the seeds off. Super fast, no mess, and you get all the seeds to eat with a spoon. Try it! When I showed my Persian friend he said it would be a life changer for his grandma.
I am happy I found your website! I live up in Temecula. I have 2 acres – one has not been developed. I am starting a garden and am exited to learn from you.
That’s pretty close to what we do. I don’t make the bottom cut but do make the side cuts. Over a large bowl with a couple of inches of water I spread the pomegranate in my hand like those old maps of the world and smack the daylights out of the skin. The seeds pop right out and the membrane floats in the water. Makes it really easy to clean up. To make juice we put the seeds in a food processor and pulse lightly one or two times. More than that and it gets woody. Think about adding the juice to your favorite champagne for the holidays. It’s great!