How to Properly Store Pomegranate at Home: 6 Simple Ways

The word "pomegranate" means "apple with many seeds." Overripe fruits, not picked from the tree, "explode," and the seeds fall to the ground, where they then germinate. By the way, this is where the name of the explosive device comes from.

Pomegranate has special culinary talents. Its taste harmoniously combines sweetness and acidity, which expands the range of gastronomic possibilities of the fruit. In cooking, pomegranate is added to salads, hot dishes, desserts, and beverages. The juicy ruby seeds are wonderful on their own.

Conditions and Methods for Storing Pomegranate

If you have bought pomegranates that you do not plan to consume soon, they can be stored to enjoy this fruit later. Here are a few ways to do so.

Method No. 1

Ripe (but not overripe) pomegranates without damage can be stored at room temperature for 1–2 weeks. For this, choose a cool place without direct sunlight. The humidity should be moderate. If it is too low, the fruits will dry out quickly; if too high, the rotting process may begin.

Method No. 2

For longer storage, choose medium or large pomegranates. Such fruits will stay fresh and juicy longer, as they will lose moisture less. Place them separately from each other in a perforated box. Put it on the balcony or in the cellar.

Method No. 3

In the refrigerator, the shelf life of tropical fruits increases to 1–2 months. Pomegranates can be placed in the fruit compartment or in a bag. But do not tie it tightly to avoid excess moisture and condensation, which can cause the pomegranate to spoil quickly.

Method No. 4

There is also another method — freezing. This option allows you to preserve pomegranate seeds for about 6 months. However, in this case, the beneficial properties of the fruit can be lost. When freezing, almost all of them will be lost.

To freeze pomegranate, it needs to be peeled, separated into seeds, spread them separately on a baking sheet, and place in the freezer for a few hours. Then transfer them in portions to bags, tightly tied. Alternatively, you can use zip bags. It is recommended to thaw pomegranate at room temperature. It should not be subjected to this procedure again.

Method No. 5

Pomegranates can be preserved after a little culinary processing, for example, by making juice from them. This will allow you to enjoy the taste of the fruits and get the maximum benefit. Another way to extend the shelf life of pomegranate seeds is to soak them in olive oil with spices. This can be used, for example, as a salad dressing.

Method No. 6

Few people know that pomegranate seeds can also be dried. For this, an electric dryer is used at home. When the pulp loses all moisture, the seeds are ground into powder. This seasoning gives dishes a special zest and a spicy, tangy flavor.

Its benefits are hard to overestimate — this product contains the same nutrients and vitamins as fresh pomegranate, only in greater concentration. By the way, this spice has its own name — agar dana. In Indian cuisine, it can have different textures: crumbly, grainy, or in the form of paste.

Will Pomegranate Ripen at Home?

Sometimes, under the attractive skin of the fruit, there are unripe seeds. Both in taste and color, they differ from the ripe fruit. The seeds will be light pink and even somewhat transparent. The taste qualities of an unripe pomegranate clearly lag behind those of ripe fruits.

A reasonable question arises: are there ways to allow pomegranate to ripen at home?

Unfortunately, no. A pomegranate can only fully ripen on the branch of the tree. Therefore, it is useless to put it in a bag with apples, as is sometimes done with green bananas.

The most optimal way in this case is to find a use for the unripe product, since it has ended up in your kitchen.

You can make pomegranate jam from it, but you will have to neutralize the acidity with a considerable amount of sugar. Another life hack is to make a marinade for meat from an unripe pomegranate. This way, you can make the most of the fruit's sour taste.