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The Christmas Fruit
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. They 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.
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. Their website features a fun, interactive page on the history of pomegranates. It goes back quite some time and extends through many parts of the world.
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.
Watch the video below for instructions on how to cut pomegranates!
How Do You Get the Seeds Out?
After you split the pomegranate open, you can start taking out the seeds and putting them into a large bowl. Keep an eye out for seeds that may not be ripe. They will not look like the rest of the deep red-colored seeds. I just pick around them. In addition to all the small pieces of 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.
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. Why? Well, it’s messy. The seeds and the juice go flying everywhere and it may look like you are in the middle of painting a masterpiece in your kitchen, rather than removing pomegranate seeds. It just isn’t worth it to me. 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 good amount of mine. When you freeze them, you don’t want them to hold extra water. It dilutes all that amazing juice inside each seed.
How Should I Store Them?
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.
Let's Talk About Freezing...
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.
Cheers!
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 below with the orange garnish, (check out how I wash, store and use them here) and a mix of these amazing syrups from Simple Goodness Sisters, another local company owned by, you guessed it, two sisters. Check them out here! They have a pretty cool story. Check out the recipe they shared with us on Pinterest 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.
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