How to Cut and Supreme a Grapefruit

A grapefruit is a tart citrus fruit with pink or yellow-white flesh that’s rich in vitamin C. It’s a hybrid of a pomelo and a sweet orange. Its flesh is surrounded by a layer of bitter white pith, which is in turn surrounded by a thick orange or orange-pink rind.

While there are specialized tools designed specifically for cutting and eating grapefruit (namely, a grapefruit knife and a grapefruit spoon), none of them are essential for enjoying a grapefruit. All you really need is:

• A cutting board
• A chef’s knife
• A paring knife or small serrated knife

The best way to cut a grapefruit depends on your favorite way to eat it. The first method involves loosening the segments from the rind so you can use the fruit itself as a bowl. Here’s the process, step-by-step.

1. 1. Using a chef’s knife, cut off the ends of the grapefruit to create a flat base for your two halves.
2. 2. Cut the grapefruit in half along its equator.
3. 3. Using your paring knife or serrated knife, separate the grapefruit segments in each half from the inner membrane.
4. 4. Carefully cut along the inner curve of the grapefruit to separate the segments from the pith.

Your grapefruit is now ready to eat as is, though to go a step further, you can also sprinkle a little sugar on the top and stick it under the broiler until the sugar caramelizes.

The second method for cutting a grapefruit, also known as supreming, is to separate the fruit into individual grapefruit sections. This is perfect to eat as-is or can be added to a salad. Here’s how to do it:

1. 1. Using a chef’s knife, cut off the ends of the grapefruit.
2. 2. Being careful not to cut off too much of the inner flesh, use the chef’s knife to cut away the rind and the pith so that what remains is just the flesh and the inner membrane.
3. 3. Cut the individual grapefruit segments away from the membrane until all that remains is the inner membrane.

You can store your grapefruit sections in the refrigerator in an airtight container, along with any grapefruit juice that may have accumulated on the cutting board.

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