Pomegranate arils are the juicy sacs around the seeds. To free them with less mess, score the rind, pull the fruit into sections by hand, then loosen the arils in a bowl of water.
Score the rind, not the arils
- Rinse and dry the fruit, then set it on a stable cutting board. The FDA advises rinsing produce under running water before cutting. Slice off the crown end just below the crown, cutting only far enough to remove it.
- Make three or four shallow scores from the cut end toward the base. Cut through the rind, not down through the red arils. Use a small knife you can control; for a knife-choice refresher, see our paring-knife versus utility-knife guide.
- Set a bowl of water beside the board. Put the knife aside, lower the fruit into the bowl and gently pull it apart by hand along the scores.
University of Illinois Extension describes trimming the crown, scoring the fruit and opening it by hand over water. Utah State University Extension also recommends scoring the shell in several places before separating the sections.
Loosen the arils in water
With the sections in the bowl, use your fingers to free the juicy red arils from the pale inner membranes. The arils sink while the membrane and peel float. Skim off the floating pieces, then drain the arils in a colander. The water catches loose arils as you work and makes the separation easier to see. An orange’s membranes are cut away with a knife instead; see how to cut an orange.
Sources: FDA, “7 Tips for Cleaning Fruits, Vegetables” (rinse produce before cutting); University of Illinois Extension, “Cut into pomegranates with confidence” (crown trim, shallow scoring and opening over water); Utah State University Extension, “How to Preserve Pomegranates” (scoring, separating arils under water, and the arils sinking while membranes float).