The king of the citrus, the pomelo. In this post, I will tell you all about the pomelo, how to eat a pomelo, and what a pomelo tastes like.
Pomelos are absolutely amazing they are the largest citrus fruit and are naturally occurring. It is not a hybrid although there have been some later cultivated hybrid varieties.
Where do Pomelos grow?
The pomelo grows naturally in Asia and Southeast Asia where they are native but they are cultivated all over the world especially here in the United States in places like California, Arizona, Florida, and Texas.
Wherever there’s a lot of citruses that grows you can grow these pomelos.
What does a pomelo look like?
Pomelos are extremely big, similar in size to a cantaloupe, or twice or 2 and ½ times the size of a grapefruit. There are a couple of varieties. The pomelo rouge or red has a dark green peel and is pink on the inside.
The honey pomelo has a yellow peel and the flesh is yellow as well. Read more about the honey pomelo here.
Pomelos are really heavy, and that is one of the ways you can tell that is ripe, they will be plump and heavy for their size.
On the inside, the peel is really thick with an extremely thick “pith” which is the white some that are in between the peel and the flesh. It is bitter tasting and much thicker than any other citrus.
What are the health benefits of a Pomelo?
Here are some health benefits of the pomelo:
- Each one has about 231 calories
- 5 grams of protein
- About 60 carbs
- High in fiber, about 6 to 7 grams of fiber
- Massive amounts of a vitamin C
- They may promote weight loss
- Rich in antioxidants
- May boost heart health, among some other benefits
How to eat a Pomelo?
There are a variety of ways that you can cut into one and eat it. You have to treat it a little bit differently than you would an orange or even a grapefruit.
Here are three ways how to eat a pomelo:
First way how to eat a pomelo
Take the pomelo and cut it straight in half. You will see the thick white pith and amazing inside, either bright pink or yellow depending on the variety. There will be a nice citrus smell as well. The pomelo red looks similar to a Ruby Red grapefruit.
The pith is so thick in some places it will be close to ¾ of an inch. The pith has an interesting texture and feels spongey.
After cutting the pomelo in half you can cut down the sides of each individual segment of the fruit with knife.
And then cut around the fruit on the inside, so you will be left with individual pieces of fruit or vesicles that you can scoop out with a spoon.
I will normally place it in a bowl and then scoop the fruit out. If you like you can sprinkle a bit of salt on the top or sugar to enhance the flavor and taste of the pomelo.
The pomelo vesicles are sometimes used in salads as well.
The second way how to eat a pomelo
Another way how to eat a pomelo is to cut off the top about ½ inch from the top. Then score it with a knife about a quarter of an inch, do this about 4 times around the fruit. Now you can dig your fingers in there and then pull the peels off easier.
I am not saying this is the best way, but it is just another option for getting to the fruit.
Now you are left with a giant white pith ball of pomelo fruit. Next, you can start cutting or peeling away the pith to get to the actual fruit.
The third way how to eat a pomelo
One more way how to eat a pomelo is to just take your knife and cut down all around the fruit getting both the peel and the pith in one go. Kind of like how you would get to the flesh of a pineapple.
What does a pomelo taste like?
The pomelo tastes really delicious. It has a strong citrus flavor pretty close to a grapefruit however it is sweeter and not as tart as a grapefruit. There is still a slight tartness, however. So that is why a little salt or sugar is added at times.
These are one of my favorite citrus fruits. They take a bit of effort to get to the fruit but it is so worth it in the end.
What this video how to eat pomelo and taste test
So, if you are looking for a new fruit to try, get yourself a pomelo and try it out. They are so amazing!
Here are a few recipes and other interesting information you may like:
Hey, from Pakistan.
We have almost all types of citrus family fruits here in south east Asia, especially Pomelo. Thanks for the nutritional information and removal of pith to have a better taste.
Hello! Thank you for reading in Pakistan! Yes, the pith is so bitter. The fruit definitely tastes better without it.
I love pumelo fruit. I wish there was a way to enjoy them year-round, besides in my freezer. They are amazing.
I met someone who was buying as many pumelos as me, but he was making sure they were “pretty” and not just ripe. Ends up, he makes sugared citrus strips from the peel. He said he has to be very careful when peeling them so he doesn’t get any of the spongy pith, but that the extra effort is worth the extra work. Interesting what you can find out just by being social.
That is awesome, Tracey! Yes, these fruits are so yummy. You could use this recipe of mine if you wanted to candy your peels! 🙂 https://www.inthekitchenwithmatt.com/candied-orange-peel
I have never heard of a pomelo before now and I am intrigued! Definitely going to look for this at the store; looks delicious!
Awesome, Sara! They have a very short season it seems, I rarely find them at the store, haha. But when I do, gotta get them! haha
Yummy!! Wish I had one in front of me! Thanks for the tips!
You are welcome, Natalie! 🙂
This is interesting. Thank you for these tips and tricks!
You are welcome, Beth!