California Homestead: Pomegranate – Our First Season Harvesting
Reading Time:5minutes
In this post we share photos of our first experience harvesting pomegranates from a mature tree on the property and include a recipe for pomegranate jelly.
A brief history
Native to Central Asia
First cultivation around 2200 B.C. by the Sumerians in present day Basra, Iraq
By 1300 B.C. spread to Asia Minor –> Phoenicians
Traders called pomegranate the “fruit of paradise”
By 500 B.C. spread to Samarkand and China, new varieties introduced
The pomegranate appears in Homer’s The Odyssey and Ancient Greek mythology
Jewish custom says that the 613 seeds of a pomegranate represent the 613 commandments in the Torah
Pomegranates are found in the tomb of King Tut
Mention of the pomegranate is found in the Qu’uran
The Spanish bring the pomegranate with the to the New World – introduction to Mexico, in the 1500s introduction to California and in 1700s introduction to Spanish Florida
If you’d like to continue learning about pomegranates, we recommend Richard Ashton’s The Incredible Pomegranate Plant & Fruit, a well rounded introduction to the nature of pomegranates, including history, varieties, and use around the world.
Growing pomegranates
We learned a few key things ahead as we researched planting and tending to pomegranates:
Time to maturation: 6-7 months from the time of first flower.
Soils: Pomegranates do best in deep loamy soils, but also grow quite well in sandy and clay soils.
Watering: 50 to 60 inches of water every year.
Sun exposure: Pomegranates like dry environments with full sun.
Place the cut pomegranate into a large bowl filled with water.
Place your hands under the water and pick the seeds apart from the rind and membrane. The seeds will fall to the bottom of the bowl and the rind and membrane will float to the top.
Remove the rind and membrane.
Strain the seeds and place them in a blender.
Pulse the blender to break the seeds up.
Pour the seed juice through the strainer into a bowl. Try to extract as much juice as possible.
Sanitize the mason jars and lids
Separate the mason jar lids from the jar.
Bring water to a boil in a large pot.
Place the mason jars and lids into the boiling water for five minutes.
Place the lids into a smaller bowl and pour boiling water over them to sterilize.
Use tongs to remove the jars from water. Place on a clean kitchen cloth.
Create the pomegranate jelly
In a 6-quart pan, combine pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and pectin. Bring the ingredients to a rolling boil. Stir constantly to prevent scorching.
When the mixture can no longer be stirred down, add in sugar, stirring in one cup at a time. Bring to a boil for two minutes. Avoid burning the jelly at the bottom of the pan.
Remove the jelly from the heat.
Pour hot jelly into the sanitized mason jars
Pour liquid into each mason jar, until about 75% full.
Immediately place the lids on the mason jar and seal.
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rkrontheroad
2 years agoPopular in Japan!