How to Cut a Pomegranate | A Delicious Winter Treat!

Christmastime is pomegranate time. Since their harvest season is from December through January, now is the perfect time to stock up on this festive fruit. They add a great pop of color and a bold flavor to holiday dishes and drinks that are so often made at this time of year. Once you learn how to cut a pomegranate, you can buy whole pomegranates and take advantage of all of these options!

Pomegranates also happen to be one of my favorite winter snacks, especially during our family time when we watch Hallmark movies. That is one of our Christmas traditions, Hallmark movies and pomegranates.

How to Cut a Pomegranate

Learning how to cut a pomegranate is easy and once you get the hang of it, you'll wonder why you waited so long. I use a large, sharp knife and cut the pomegranate down the middle. Then I split the pomegranate open and you can start taking out the seeds and putting them into a large bowl.  As I am taking them off of the membrane I will also pick off the little white tip on the individual seed. If you choose to make a juice from your pomegranate seeds, the little white bits can make the juice bitter.

I always use a glass cutting board when I am cutting my pomegranates so that I do not stain my counter or a wooden cutting board.

Some people like to remove the seeds by firmly tapping the bottom of the pomegranate when it’s upside down to get the seeds out. I don’t like to do this because it is messy. One other thing people like to do when they are trying to separate the seeds from the membrane is to place them in water. I don’t do this either because I freeze a lot of my pomegranate seeds. When you freeze the pomegranate seeds they will hold the water and it will dilute the amazing pomegranate juice inside each seed.

How to Wash a Pomegranate

It is important to wash your pomegranates before cutting them. I wash my pomegranates in a large bowl with 10 cups of water and ¼ cups of 5% distilled white vinegar. Wash them for two minutes and then allow them to dry. Pomegranates are one of the items included in my book, the Zero Waste Produce Guide. This book teaches you how to wash and store 75 produce items so that you can reduce produce waste and save money on groceries. You can get your copy in TheCrossLegacyShop.com.

Pomegranate: Jewels of the Winter

These “Jewels of the Winter" are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, folate, and many other nutrients. Many of them come from California where POM Wonderful, a 100-year-old, 9,000-acre pomegranate ranch, is located.

When you go to pick a pomegranate from the store, you want them to be bright red and heavy. The heavier ones have more juice! You want it to be firm like an apple, and brown spots are ok, as long as there are no cuts into the fruit. I normally just buy the POM Wonderful brand from my local Costco, so they are just in a case.

How To Store Pomegranate Seeds

Once you have all the little bits picked off, your seeds are ready to eat or to go into storage. Whole pomegranates will last a week on the counter, a few months in the fridge (or a cold, dry place), or up to a year if frozen. Fresh seeds stored in glass (like these jars, or these Pyrex containers) will last for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

You can put those frozen seeds straight into a smoothie. They have added fiber in the seed and they taste great! No funny textures. Eating the whole seed, as opposed to juice, is much better for you. I love to use my blender to make my smoothies. Healthy smoothies do not have to be green to be good for you! There are so many amazing health benefits to pomegranates!

I also use my blender to make fresh juice. I pour in 2 poms' worth of seeds and blend. Next I will pour the juice through my mesh strainer, then through a funnel (like this one), and then store it in a jar in my fridge for up to a month.

How to Freeze Pomegranate Seeds

Freezing your pomegranate seeds or arils (pronounced air-ills) is a great way to preserve them while keeping the flavor and texture of fresh seeds. If you want to freeze them, the best way to do so is to cover a large jelly roll tray (cookie sheet with an edge) in parchment paper and lay out your seeds in a single layer so they do not clump together. Once your seeds are flash frozen on the tray, you can move them to your storage bags. I use my vacuum sealer and its bags to store my frozen seeds for up to a year, though they rarely last that long! Storing them flat helps to save space and makes it easier to get them out of the bag, rather than pounding the bag against the counter to break up the seeds.

Pomegranate Mimosas

We made these delicious pomegranate mimosas with fresh pomegranate juice that is perfect for a New Year's Eve toast or brunch with friends. We also included the arils in the mimosa; they make for a beautiful garnish and it was fun to watch the champagne bubbles make the arils jump around inside the glass.

The second drink, pictured above with the orange garnish is made with mix of these amazing syrups from Simple Goodness Sisters. They are a local company owned by two sisters. Check them out here! They shared this recipe they shared for "Pomegranate Seeds in a Mulled Wine" winter sangria.

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas holiday celebrating with family and friends. I’m off to go enjoy some family time, Hallmark movies, and- my pomegranates.