cook · snack · american

How to Properly Peel and Segment Citrus

Name: How to Properly Peel and Segment Citrus
Cuisine: american

Clean citrus segments transform salads, desserts, and cocktails from ordinary to restaurant-quality. The difference between hacked-up orange pieces and perfect supremes is technique, not talent.

Total time: 10 min
Hands-on: 10 min
Serves: varies
Difficulty: Easy

Before you start

Sharp knife, steady hands

Work over a bowl to catch the segments and juice. A dull knife will tear the fruit instead of cutting cleanly through the membranes.

sharp paring knife
cutting board
bowl

Ingredients

any amount citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes)

The supreme cut

Cut between membranes, not through them

Slide your knife along the membrane on one side of each segment, then along the membrane on the other side. The clean segment will fall away on its own.

Step by step

Trim the ends. Cut off the top and bottom of the fruit, removing enough to expose the flesh completely. You want to see the edge of each segment.
Remove peel and pith. Stand the fruit on one cut end. Following the curve of the fruit, slice downward from top to bottom, removing both peel and white pith in strips. Rotate and repeat until no white remains.
Cut out segments. Hold the peeled fruit in your non-knife hand over a bowl. Slice along one side of a membrane, cutting toward the center. Then slice along the other side of the same segment. The clean piece will fall into your bowl.
Continue around the fruit. Move to the next segment and repeat. When finished, squeeze the remaining membrane over the bowl to extract any juice.

Tips & troubleshooting

Room temperature fruit is easier to peel than cold fruit
Save the juice that collects in your bowl—it's concentrated and flavorful
Grapefruit membranes are thicker and easier to see than orange membranes
If you nick the flesh, keep going—small cuts won't ruin the segment

Variations

Zest first. If you need zest, grate it before peeling. Once peeled, the oils are gone.
Wheels for cocktails. For garnish wheels, peel first, then slice crosswise into rounds.
Quick peel method. For eating out of hand, score the peel in quarters from top to bottom, then pull off in pieces.

Questions

How do I remove every bit of white pith?: Go slowly with thin slices rather than trying to cut deep. The pith follows the curve of the fruit, so your knife should too.
Can I segment citrus ahead of time?: Yes, segments keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store them in their own juice to prevent drying out.
Why are my segments falling apart?: Either your knife is too dull or you're cutting through the flesh instead of just along the membranes. The membrane is your guide.