Plz to be instructing me on the proper pomegranate eating proceedure.

[tripperfunster]

So ... around once a year I have a craving for pomegranates, and every year I make an unholy mess of myself and surroundings.

I love the flavour, but dislike the ... woody texture of the inside of the seeds. I can eat a few no prob, but then get a bit overwhelmed at the build up of fiberous-ness and need to spit that part out. Sort of like sunflower seeds, but yanno, inside out.

Also? I can't seem to pull a few seeds/kernels out without sending at least twice as many flying out in different directions. I spend more time on my hands and knees searching for rogue seeds than i do actually EATING.

Today I ate it hunched over the sink, with the poise and grace of a zombie eating a particularly juicy brain.

Hints and tips and flat out crit welcome.

Comments

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

I scrape all the seeds into a bowl and then eat them with a spoon. But then, I don't mind the crunchy parts. ;-)

I've heard that you can put the seeds in a blender and then strain the crunchy bits out for juice. I've never tried that, though.

Actually, my favorite way to use the seeds is as a topping, like on yogurt or guacamole, just to add a little texture.

[narryaworry.livejournal.com]

This is how I used to empty out a pomegranate in the restaurant I worked in. Cut the pom into halves or quarters. Take a wooden spoon and smack the outside of the pomegranate with the curved part of the spoon while holding it over a bowl. There is some splatter, so you can put the bowl in the sink while you do this to minimize the mess. It's incredibly fun and a great stress reliever to smack that fruit into submission. I had to do that every other day with six pomegranates at a time, it was one of my favorite tasks.

I hate the fiber part as well. What I do is have an extra bowl and just spit the fiber out into it after I clean off the fruit in my mouth.

[venturous1.livejournal.com]

put 'em thru a juicer, or learn to spit!

[droxy.livejournal.com]

I got a great hint from Indians for peeling a pomagranite.

Get a collander/strainer.

Peel it and separate the seeds using the running tap. This makes peeling easier and keeps you from getting sticky and stops the flying seeds. While doing this dump the rind in your trash/compost.

There is no fix for the seed within the seed. I just eat the whole seed.

If you have a juicer, you can get the juice minus the seeds.

[djin7.livejournal.com]

I have no idea, but this post made me howl in laughter.

Thanks!

[demicus.livejournal.com]

You've come to the right place (for pom instruction, that is)! I too love the pomegranate, but the mess was getting me down (& leaving me cleaning like a mad woman after cleaning the darned things. Anywho, what you do is: 1) wash your pomegranate; 2) get a fairly deep bowl of water; 3) get a sharp knife; 4) cut the pomegranate into quarters under the water (yes, you will cut through a couple of the seeds & it'll look like you're bleeding out!); 5) still keeping your hands & the quartered poms under the water, remove the seeds by hand (it's not that difficult, really). 6) drain off the water, put into a pretty bowl & enjoy!
I spit out the fibrous parts too. Too much fiber is just too much!
Optional 7) figure out that it's just too much work & go eat an apple. *gigglesnort*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

A lot like the above posters, but this works best for me:

1. Clean kitchen sink.

2. Fill kitchen sink halfway with cool water (not cold, 'cos your hands are gonna be in it a lot)

3. Score pomegranate skin with knife; quarters will work

4. Sink pomegranate into water, peel apart sections underwater. (Any juice explosions will be contained by the water.)

5. Peel arils out of pomegranate sections underwater; let the arils sink to the bottom. The inedible yellow pith will float.

6. Skim as much pith out of water as possible, then scoop up the arils and drain inna bowl.

[samtastic4.livejournal.com]

just buy straight up pomegranate seeds from the store...trader joes has them...i love to eat them...

[eldriwolf.livejournal.com]

much like others--underwater will contain All mess.

***I do not do it that way. ***
I sort-of make it a meditation, a contest in neatness.
How little juice can I spill? It takes a little time, and patience.

--With a sharp knife, cut off Just the top-and-bottom.
Then, score the skin vertically into segments (at least four, or six, usually eight) Don't cut into the seeds. This means shallow cuts, around an eighth of an inch, perhaps less.

Extend one or two of the cuts into the core at the top--(-it might be up to an inch)maybe the bottom too. ---You can set the knife aside now.

Next is the hardest part:
*Carefully* pry at the fruit till you have it *Open*! Rough halves or thirds, whatever-
--Peel the skin, membranes, gently rub at the seeds to free them. You must let the fruit 'lead' you, when to pick and when to pry--- it is forcing things that makes 'explosions'---It is sort of like pulling the sticks in pick up sticks

If you wish to you may eat them as-you-go (I do)
Or put them in a bowl, to add to things (Ice-cream!) or eat with a spoon.
Or crush the juice out; the white skin is Very bitter

[outofthisplace.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reminding me that I have two pomegranates in the fridge. I know that demicus's method is the supposed best (that's how Alton Brown does it!) but I just go at them with my hands and the slight assistance of a knife. And I spit the seeds, too.

[outofthisplace.livejournal.com]

This is pretty much how I do it-- I cut off the top so I can determine where the membranes segment, then score longitudinally along those lines, and it's just as you said-- let the fruit lead you!

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Guacamole? Really? Yogurt I can see (in fact, had some like that today) but Guac? I shall reserve judgment until I try it. :D

As for blending, I really like the juicy 'pop' of the seeds, just not the woody insides.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Ha yes! I shall spank my next pom, thanks!

And yeah, I had a paper towel handy.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

But a good girl always swallows!! ;)

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Yes, a few people have suggested doing it under water. Thanks! It honestly hadn't occured to me.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, you really need to get out more! ;)

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It never occured to me to peel it under water! although ... Sam suggested below to just go and buy it already peeled. I had no idea you could do that!

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Well, my sink would NEVER be clean enough to do that in, but a large bowl would work! Thanks!

Although, Sam mentions below that you can just but the arils already cleaned! More expensive, but less mess.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

You, my dear, are a genius! It never even occured to me that they'd be available like that. We don't have Trader Joes where I live, but I DID find some at Safeway. Thanks!

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Ahaha! I must admit, that the 'zen' of de-seeding a pomegranate is beyond my patience. ;)

I'll have to stick to my brutal zombie style. :D

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Sadly, they seem to be out of season here now, but as Sam mentioned above, you can get straight up seeds at the store, already cleaned and ready to eat! YUM!

[demicus.livejournal.com]

Sam makes a good point. Sadly though, the seeds for sale here always look wilted in their little plastic packages. I don't think enough people are buying them & they just end up sitting there. Maybe you'll find some fresh ones!

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

There's an amazing restaurant in Manhattan called Toloache that does a guacamole de frutas, and it's like an orgasm, I swear. They mix a few kinds of fresh fruit with the avocado (like diced mango, apple, strawberry, etc.) and when in season they top it off with some pomegranate seeds. That tartness next to the creaminess of the avocado is amazing. It's the most amazing guacamole ever. (Recipe here.) I make it for family functions, and people just get this look of bliss on their faces when they eat it. :-)

[samtastic4.livejournal.com]

you're welcome!! i know, i am such a genius....it's ok, you can be in awe...i know i am ;)