How to make pomegranate juice

Many recipes include pomegranate seeds not just for their flavour but also for their delightful texture, such as this Harissa Halloumi with Pomegranate Tabbouleh. While pomegranate can be used in cooking, it is also a remarkable juicing fruit with many benefits.

How to juice pomegranate

Prepare for potential staining when juicing pomegranates. The pulp and juice of this fruit can stain clothes and wooden surfaces, so it’s advisable to shield them with protective coverings.

1. First, remove the seeds from the pomegranates. The simplest way to do this is to cut the fruit in half and scoop the seeds out. A vertical cut from top to bottom will allow you to access each half.
2. Place the pomegranate halves into a bowl half-filled with water. Loosen the seeds out by hand, rather than trying to spoon them out. Once removed, the seeds will sink to the bottom, which will keep them out of the way while you work on the remaining sections of fruit. Discard the outer parts of the pomegranate once deseeded.
3. Slowly pour the seeds and water through a sieve, saving the the fleshy seeds for juicing.
4. Place the seeds into a kitchen blender or food processor and blend until they have liquefied into a smooth pulp.

Fresh pomegranate juice

At first, homemade pomegranate juice may taste a little sour if the seeds aren’t quite ready. If so, you can add a little sugar, sweetener or honey to your juice to adjust the taste. However, fresh pomegranate juice made from quality fruit rarely needs other ingredients to make a tasty drink.

Storing homemade pomegranate juice

Pomegranates will last up to four weeks before they need to be juiced or eaten, when kept in a fruit bowl. When refrigerated, they can last longer, but they won’t necessarily ripen at the same speed. Once juiced, you should ideally drink your pomegranate juice on the same day. But if you’re planing to store it, then keep your juice in a covered container or a sealed bottle. When kept in the fridge, you can expect fresh pomegranate juice to last for about four days, so long as it is sealed and not exposed to too much air.

Recipes with pomegranate

• Harissa Chicken with Pomegranate Tabbouleh
• Bulgur Wheat and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Feta, Mint and Pomegranate
• Chermoula Aubergine with Bulgur Wheat and a Pomegranate Salsa