How To Freeze Dry Pomegranate

Freeze Dried Fruits

Freeze-drying pomegranate seeds is easy once you get past the hard part – taking out the seeds. Today we’ll feature how to take out the seeds to freeze dry pomegranate for long-term use.

How Do You De-Seed A Pomegranate?

We feel you. De-seeding the pomegranate can be intimidating. There are tons of tutorials telling you to de-seed the fruit by splitting the fruit in half. Then the person would get a large wooden spoon and whack the skin with the back of the spoon. This is not as efficient as it seems because:

• There’s a tendency to squeeze fruit, wasting the juice
• Stains will be everywhere
• Seeds will be everywhere

It’s so old school and not efficient, even if the whacking and falling seeds seem satisfying. So what we did was scour the web for a better way, and cyberspace didn’t disappoint. Here are two videos that can help you de-seed pomegranate like a boss.

• The Cleanest Way to De-Seed A Pomegranate by @bentonoods
• No Mess, 30-Second Upside Down Method by Mari Suzuki

Both started by cutting out the pomegranate’s crown to expose the flesh. The next step requires a bit of skill. You need a paring knife to score the fruit along the flesh of the segments, avoiding the seeds as much as possible. The shallow cuts help you split the fruit open and get out the seeds.

Both videos have the same concept up to that point. The difference is that the second video doesn’t use water to remove the seeds. What’s good about using water is getting the inedible membranes. This can be difficult if you remove the arils dry. Still, there’s no right or wrong method. What’s important is you go for which one works for you.

Do I Pre-Freeze The Seeds?

Pre-freezing is an option, but most find success when they do this with pomegranate arils. The edible part of the fruit has 78% water content, which makes pre-freezing advantageous to the process. It’s especially useful, too, if you have something brewing in your freeze-dryer.

When you pre-freeze, give your food at least 48 hours of freeze time in the deep freezer. This way, the pomegranate arils will freeze completely in the center. Make sure that your trays and chambers are both cold when you start the process for pre-frozen arils. You can set the pre-cooling temperature of the chamber to -8°F (-22 °C) or lower by going to the custom settings.

How To Freeze Dry Pomegranate Seeds

Freeze-drying pomegranate seeds are easy once you got everything prepared.

1. De-seed your fruit and layer the arils on the tray. Make sure they’re lower than the lip because we’re dealing with seeds here. The more surface area you can give the arils, the better your freeze dryer will work.
2. Turn on the machine and press “START > NON-LIQUID”.
3. Choose “NOT FROZEN” for room-temperature arils and trays. Select “FROZEN” for pre-frozen seeds.
4. Press START and let the trays pre-cool for 15 minutes.
5. Close the drain valve and load the trays when the machine tells you to.
6. Close the chamber door and press “CONTINUE”.

Depending on certain factors, the process can take 24-36 hours or up to 48 hours. Your pomegranate seeds are done when they’re dry, airy, and crumbly to the touch. Put the trays back for 2-4 hours of extra dry time if some feel soft and cool to the touch.

Where Can I Buy Freeze Dried Pomegranate?

If you want to see if you’re a match with freeze-dried pomegranates, here are some brands you can check out.

The Rotten Fruit Box

Don’t let the name mislead you. They make good freeze-dried pomegranate arils for snacking and adding to your food.

The freeze-dried pomegranate snack comes in a 0.99 oz (28 g) resealable pouch. It’s good to note that the bags are also 100% recyclable. It’s gluten-free, GMO-free, and with no sugar added. All you get is 100% freeze-dried pomegranate arils. You can use them with yogurt, smoothie, cereals, ice cream, baked goods, and dog treats.

The reviews all say that the FD arils were excellent. Everyone said the food was tasty and useful for adding to breakfast cereal. At $5.99 per pouch, you deserve something delicious in your pantry.

Olive Nation Freeze Dried Organic Pomegranate Powder

If you prefer the convenience of using powder for your recipes, try this one from Olive Nation. We like that you can buy in retail or in bulk. If you want to purchase freeze-dried pomegranate powder wholesale, there’s a discount for orders above $500.

Oh! Nuts

We’re not sure if people went nuts over these freeze-dried pomegranate arils. At $11.66 per 2 oz bag, we are expecting more. What’s good is that it’s certified Kosher and PARVE – dairy free. No sugar or preservatives are added, so these are less worries for you if you are sensitive to them.

However, there’s only one review on the website. It would have been better if more had sent their reviews so we’ll know how these can fit your diet.

Conclusion

Freeze-drying pomegranate arils isn’t as hard as long as you have your Harvest Right freeze dryer. They do most of the work for you superbly. All you have to do is to prepare the seeds well and let the machine do the rest.

Keep in mind that freeze-drying intensifies the flavor of the arils. So, if you don’t like the pomegranate seeds fresh, there’s a possibility that you won’t like it freeze-dried. Even so, it’s a perfect gift for those who love the seeds. They’ll love you for it.

How much arils are you freeze-drying, and where will you use them? Let us know in the comment section.

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