When choosing organic pomegranates, look for a heavy weight, firm texture, and deep red rind color. Check for cracks and bed bug damage, and avoid mold inside the fruit. Size doesn’t matter, as smaller pomegranates can still be high quality.
Pomegranates are red, relatively large fruits with a dingy interior. The rind is inedible, as is the yellow-white pith that contains the seeds. Choosing the best organic pomegranate is based on most of the same factors used to find the best non-organic pomegranate. A relatively heavy weight, firm mouthfeel, and deep red rind color are the most important aspects to look for when trying to determine whether a pomegranate, regardless of organic status, will be good to eat.
In general, whichever pomegranate you choose should feel heavy for its size and should be firm. Since most of the weight comes from the juice—the rind and yellowish pith don’t contribute much, just bulk—a pomegranate that feels heavier than it looks will have a good amount of juice. Organic pomegranates can be 2 inches in diameter. A small pomegranate will have less room for seeds than a larger pomegranate, but relative weight and color will be better indicators of the quality of an organic pomegranate. In other words, a bin full of heavy, firm, deep red organic pomegranates with a diameter of 3 inches isn’t necessarily worse quality than non-organic pomegranates with a diameter of 4 inches.
The rind of an organic pomegranate should be very dark pink to deep red – the closer to deep red, the better – and should not have yellowish or very pale areas. Some variegation, or a mix of shades, is normal. Also, it should be relatively regular. A little texture is normal, but it shouldn’t feel very rough like an orange.
There should be no cracks or bed bug damage in the rind, and this is something you need to pay extra attention to with organic pomegranates. The lack of pesticide use in organic farming means that more insects can get to the crops, so check the whole pomegranate carefully, including the stem end. The pointed tips at the end of the crust column at the other end where the flower, also called the calyx, used to be, may be a little smashed or even missing after shipping, but it will not affect the flavor.
Mold is a problem inside the goblet. You shouldn’t see any white, gray, or blue coloration. In non-organic fruits, food-grade waxes applied to the skins of the fruit often help prevent mold growth. While some organic food waxes do exist, not all organic fruit will have a layer of food grade wax, which means mold is more likely to grow. If mold forms in the goblet, it means the pomegranate has been sitting around for a while.
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