Friday, September 20, 2013

Store Pomegranates







Pomegranate


The pomegranate is a fruit with a long history, spoken of in the Bible and in mythology. It is round with a spiked crown and can be the size of a grapefruit in some varieties and as small as an orange in others. The skin, which can be assorted colors, from yellow to deep red, is shiny and tough. The interior of a pomegranate contains as many as 800 seeds encased in sacs full of juice known as arils, which are held in place by membranes. Storing pomegranates for later use is not a complicated task.


Instructions


1. Know that a pomegranate is picked when it has ripened. The pomegranate, once it has been picked, will not be able to ripen any more like some fruits do.








2. Leave a pomegranate you do not plan to eat right away alone. Avoid opening it and set it in a container on the kitchen counter but never leave it in the direct light of the sun. A pomegranate will keep for up to a month in this condition.


3. Place an undisturbed pomegranate in the refrigerator. Kept cold, this fruit will keep for as long as 2 months. Pomegranates that are stored in a sealed plastic bag will be good for as long as 3 months in a refrigerated environment.


4. Store the arils of a pomegranate in a plastic bag that has been sealed and placed in the refrigerator. These seeds and their surrounding cases filled with juices will keep for 3 days in this state.


5. Freeze pomegranate arils for later consumption. Frozen arils will still be very good after a span of 6 months in the freezer. To freeze arils, spread them apart on a baking sheet that has been lined with wax paper. Put them in the freezer for no more than 2 hours and then remove them. Use a plastic container or a sealable plastic freezer storage bag to hold the arils and put them in the freezer until you wish to use them.

Tags: will keep, long months, that been, them freezer