How to Eat a Pomegranate {+Recipe Round-Up}

Pomegranates have been calling my name lately every time I go to the grocery store.

This time, they called my name and said, “Hey lookie, I’m on sale!!!”

And then two jumped into my cart. I had no idea what I would do with them, but I knew I was going to eat them. And take photos of them. They are so pretty!

The task of breaking a pomegranate open and getting to the seeds (arils) can be a little daunting, so  hopefully this step-by-step tutorial will help you get to the little jewels inside of the fruit.

Step 1. Gather your supplies (not all pictured).

• sharp knife
• cutting board
• towel (it’s messy–or maybe that’s just me)
• large bowl filled with cold water
• slotted spoon
• strainer

Step 2. Wash the pomegranate.

Step 3. Slice off the top (“the crown”–the part that looks like…well, a crown). 

Step 4. Score the pomegranate in four or five places. Don’t cut quite as deep as I did. 

Step 5. Place upside down (cut side down) in a bowl of cold water and leave there for about 10 minutes. 

Step 6. Remove from bowl, open the pomegranate and begin to separate the arils (seeds). Let them fall into the bowl. They will sink and any white stuff (which probably has a technical name–flesh?) will float to the top. I think I’ll stick with “white stuff” because “the flesh will float to the top” sounds pretty gross. The color of the juice is already reminding me of a few things I’ve seen working at the hospital…

Step 7. When you’re done, you can skim this off with your slotted spoon. 

Step 8. Remove seeds from water. This is where your strainer comes in handy! 

Step 9. Enjoy in any of the fun recipes listed below. Or just marvel over how seriously pretty these little seeds are. 

GREAT RECIPES USING POMEGRANATE:

Main Dishes:
Roasted Almond Crusted Salmon with Pomegranate Glaze from How Sweet It is
Turkish-Spiced Chicken Kebabs with Pomegranate Relish from Perry’s Palate
POM Butter Chicken from Fake Ginger
Pomegranate Chipotle Black Bean Sliders from The Wicked Noodle
Pomegranate Chipotle Baby Back Ribs from The Wicked Noodle

Salads:
Roasted Autumn Panzanella Salad from How Sweet It Is
Festive Pomegranate, Orange and Pear Salad from Budget Gourmet Mom
Layered Autumn Quinoa Salad from How Sweet It Is
Sweet Potato, Bacon, and Pomegranate Salad from Family Fresh Cooking
POM Chicken Salad from Bran Appetit
Spinach, Strawberry and Goat Cheese with Pomegranate Vinaigrette from Nutmeg Nanny

Drinks:
POMosas  from Aggie’s Kitchen
Pomegranate Coconut Shake with Cocao Nibs from Family Fresh Cooking
Pomegranate Mojitos from Recipe Girl
Pomegranate Lime Margaritas from Lauren’s Latest
Pomegranate Margarita Martini from Dine & Dish
Virgin Cranberry and Pomegranate Bellini from Taste and Tell
Pomegranate Cosmopolitan from The Merry Gourmet

Desserts:
Pomegranate and Citrus Marshmallow Meringue Pie from Doughmesstic
Pomegranate Sorbet from Mango & Tomato
Peanut Butter Pomegranate Jelly Bars from Lauren’s Latest
Pomegranate Gelato from The Merry Gourmet
Pomegranate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Two Peas & Their Pod

Other:
Roasted Cauliflower with Blue Cheese, Garlic and Pomegranate from Sarah’s Cucina Bella
Chickpea Dip with Toasted Cumin and Pomegranate from Recipe Girl
Pomegranate Salsa from Lauren’s Latest
Pomegranate Apple Cranberry Relish from A Spicy Perspective
Cranberry Pomegranate Relish from Flavia’s Flavors

Tagged as: fruit, POM, pomegranate, round-up, tutorial