The Easy Way to Remove Pomegranate Seeds

Sometimes people ask me, “Do you ever get tired of cooking?” Except for rare occasions, my answer is “no”. But you know what? As much as I love cooking, I have to admit there are certain foods I steer clear of because they intimidate me. I either don’t know what to do with them or they seem just too complicated to deal with.

Pomegranates fell into that category for a long time. As lovely as the ruby red arils (seeds) are in both savory and sweet recipes, the techniques used to extract them just seemed so fussy and messy. Those “in the know” swore by the underwater method; “cut the pom in half then submerge it in a bowl filled with water. Pick out the seeds allowing them to sink to the bottom of the bowl and discard the membrane and rind which floats to the top. Lastly, strain the seeds. “Voila, you’re done!” they proudly proclaimed.

That was way too much work for me. So, when I really wanted pomegranate seeds, I would buy them at the market in little packages, the work, already done for me. But that presented another problem. A tiny portion of these little gems is ridiculously expensive. Consequently, I didn’t buy them very often and sadly, pomegranate seeds were not a part of my everyday ingredient arsenal.

Several years ago, however, my little culinary world was transformed (well, at least in regard to pomegranates)! I discovered a brilliant, super simple, non-messy, no-water way to extract the seeds. And it took less than a minute to remove the seeds from a whole pomegranate! This might sound silly, but I was beyond thrilled with the results. Now, when pomegranates come into season (as in now), I find myself using them everywhere; sprinkled on our morning yogurt, scattered on salads, brightening up soups and adding vibrant color to both sweet and savory dishes. You might even call me a  “pomegranate aficionado!”

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I’m hoping you’ll become one too, since pomegranates are known as a superfood with tons of wonderful health benefits, including fighting cancer and heart disease, as well as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. They’re also loaded with B vitamins, potassium, and folic acid. Next time you’re at the market, be sure pick up a pom or two and try out this amazing technique.

• Wash the pomegranate well before starting. Any time you’re cutting into a fruit or vegetable with a skin or rind, you take the chance of introducing bacteria from the outer surface into the edible portion. After washing, slice the pomegranate in half horizontally.

• Place the pomegranate, cut side down, in your non-dominant hand with your fingers spread apart. Place a deep, medium-size bowl under your hand with the pomegranate.
• Take a sturdy spatula or a wooden spoon (if I have a choice, I really like a sturdy wooden spoon best) and begin to whack firmly on the top surface of the pom.
• This is where some people go wrong. They try this technique and it doesn’t seem to work – they’re tapping, not whacking! If you tap too gently, the seeds will NOT be released.
• Don’t be afraid to give it some good, hard whacks – go ahead, get all your frustration and anxiety out. You’ll feel much better and you’ll have something beautiful to show for it!
• For demonstration purposes, I have the bowl set on the countertop. When I actually do this, I like to have the bowl down in the sink. It prevents a mess and it gives you a good angle to do the whacking.

• Continue to firmly tap (oops! sorry, I meant to say – WHACK) all over the top of the pomegranate until all seeds have fallen out. You can turn the pom over at any point to see if there are areas where the seeds seem to be “sticking”. If so, focus your whacking on those areas until all seeds are in the bowl.
• Repeat with the other half. You’ll have a bit of white membrane mixed in with the seeds. Just pick this out and discard.
• Store pomegranate arils (seeds) in the refrigerator in an airtight container or zippered bag.
• Arils will keep this way for 4-5 days. They can also be frozen and stored for several months.
• To freeze, line a sheet pan with parchment paper or waxed paper. Spread arils in a single layer, uncovered, until frozen, 1-2 hours. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight storage container or freezer-zippered bags.

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