Pomegranates are the pinnacle of holiday fruit, mostly because their short growing season only allows them to be available late fall and early winter, but also because of their festive red color and rich taste. As delicious as they are, however, they are also a bit difficult and messy to prepare. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to de-seed a pomegranate found on wikiHow with my own photo-documentation.



Once you crack open your first pomegranate, be prepared to become addicted! I bought one as an experiment after reading this post on Vanilla Garlic, then quickly returned to the store for 3 more. The seeds were gone by the end of the next day.

First, you will need a sharp knife and cutting board. Rinse and dry the pomegranate, then slice of the top crown (the pointy end).



Next, score the rind several times around the pomegranate, avoiding slicing all the way through to avoid a juicy mess.



Soak the pomegranate, cut-side down, in a bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes. This softens the rind, making it easier to extract the seeds.



Break the pomegranate apart. Using your fingers, separate the seeds from the white membrane. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the inedible membrane will float to the top.



Using a slotted spoon or sieve, remove the membrane and rind from the bowl and discard.



Drain the water using a colander. Shake excess water off of the seeds and return to the bowl or an airtight container for storage. Seeds can be stored in the refrigerate for  2 to 3 days (if they last that long!).



Enjoy!