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How to segment a grapefruit

2011 January 28
tags: ,
by admin

I’ve been eating a lot of grapefruit lately.

I don’t mind peeling them like an orange and chowing down, but I know those tough membranes get in the way of some people’s enjoyment of this fruit.  I thought I’d show you a quick ‘how-to’ on segmenting a grapefruit.

The first thing you do is cut off a portion of the peel along the north-south pole of the fruit.  I usually just cut on the side where the stem used to grow.  This creates a stable surface for the fruit to sit on.  Then set the grapefruit down in this new, more stable position.

Cut from top to bottom along the curve of the grapefruit, removing all of the peel and white pith.

Go ahead and trim up the areas where you didn’t cut deep enough to get rid of all that white stuff.

Next, hold the grapefruit in your left hand if you are right handed (lefties, do the reverse).  Using your knife, making a vertical slice along the top-to-bottom white lines you can see.  Your knife needs to follow the inward angle of the membrane.  Next, make the same type of slice along the membrane line immediately next to the first slice.  Turn the blade of the knife inward and the segment should pop out.

Continue all around the grapefruit.  In the end, you’ll be left with a pile of juicy grapefruit segments and a wad of grapefruit membranes.

from → Cheap & Easy, vegan(izable)

  • mama

    i love this, thank you!

  • http://dukeshouse.wordpress.com Brit

    I never thought to do it this way. I would surely eat more grapefruit if I had. Thanks!

  • http://www.thegranolachronicles.com Courtney @ The Granola Chronicles

    I had no idea this was so easy! Thanks for sharing this, now I can prepare a grapefruit for a snack and take it to work with me. No need to bring my special spoon! :)

  • http://Katorade.blogspot.com Kate

    Don’t sell your skills short, this works for all citrus!

  • http://www.cook-pray-love.com Kira

    I’ve always just cut it in half and eaten it with a spoon, but this is great for when I want to put it in a salad or something! Yum!

  • http://tastetastic-voyage.blogspot.com Lisa

    Hahaha…you said pith. Sorry, couldn’t help it. Thanks for the how to. I used to eat grapefruit all the time in college. I now feel the need to get some grapefruits and practice. :)

  • http://alifetobraggabout.blogspot.com EM

    Love this post! I usually just cut a grapefruit in half, dig in with a spoon and deal with the inevitable juice squirt in my face. That sounded so wrong. Omg, I’m horrible. Sorry.