The Easy, Mess-Free Way To Open A Pomegranate

Inside a pomegranate, there are hundreds of juicy little red arils, commonly referred to as seeds. These are bursting with sweet flavor, and are one of the best sources of antioxidants. However, to get to these little gems, opening up a pomegranate can sometimes be challenging and messy. There are a few common methods to remove the arils, but the easiest way (that also doesn't make your kitchen look like a crime scene) is to deseed the pomegranate in a bowl of water.

To open a pomegranate this way, you'll need a bowl of water and a sharp, straight-edge knife. Slice off ¼ inch from the top of the pomegranate to expose the five to six sections containing the arils. Next, make shallow scores in the skin, carving out each segment with your knife. Pull the scored sections apart with your hands and place them in the bowl of water then begin removing all the arils, discarding the white pith and rind once done. This method not only captures the residual juice released from within the sections (the main culprit that creates a mess) but the water also aids in keeping the white flesh and the arils separated — the white flesh rises to the water's surface and the arils sink to the bottom. You can also use a strainer to remove the flesh from the surface and strain the arils out of the bowl.

If a bowl of water isn't available when you're opening up a pomegranate, you can resort to other common, not-so-clean methods. Follow the steps for slicing off the top, scoring the sides, and pulling each section apart, then take a sturdy spoon and give the rind of each section a good whack over an empty bowl until all the arils fall out. While this method gets the job done, the white flesh tends to come loose with the arils and then has to be fished out — not to mention the whacking tends to make red pomegranate juice splatter everywhere. Another option follows the same technique for opening a pomegranate in a bowl of water, minus the bowl of water — disposable gloves are highly recommended in this instance.

Knowing how to pick a ripe pomegranate at the grocery store will also help in easily retrieving the arils regardless of which method you choose — hopefully, you'll pick the easiest one. A ripe pomegranate is heavy for its size, globe-shaped, free from any bruises or blemishes, and has a deep red-pinkish color. Ripe pomegranates are usually only available during the fall and winter seasons. This availability in the northern hemisphere spans from late September sometimes into early February, while in southern regions it's typically from March to May. When pomegranates are in season, it's a great time to stock up on them and remove the seeds to freeze for later. You can enjoy them all year round studded on top of salads or topping unique dishes like walnut-stuffed eggplant.