ᐅ How to Store Pomelo and Grapefruit (whole or cut)【 2024 】

Pomelo, misknown in other regions as grapefruit, is a citrus fruit with excellent properties for our body, but you may know I don’t talk about that. So instead, I will show you how to store pomelo in a few different ways.

You can store pomelo at room temperature for up to 10 days or keep it in the fridge for two weeks. For the long term, you can freeze the pomelo (pulp) for up to a year. In addition, other methods such as jam are possible.

If you want to know how to preserve pomelo correctly, continue reading.

How to store pomelo at room temperature

Thanks to the thick skin that protects its interior, the pomelo can be at room temperature for a few days. However, you have to consider the following recommendations so that they do not damage so quickly.

Keep pomelo away from sunlight.

You can put it on the table or countertop, but the sunlight should not hit it directly and will dry them in a short time.

Do not use containers or bags with airtight closures.

Pomelos need to breathe; therefore, avoid storing them in airtight containers or bags as they could be damaged earlier than expected.

Do not pile up.

Although they have thick skin, it does not mean they are highly resistant, so if you pile on top of each other, those below will end up bruised and spoil sooner.

It is best to use a container or basket large enough to fit all the pomelos you bought, or you can use more containers.

This way, the pomelos or pomelos will remain in good condition for ten days. [1]

However, it also depends on the temperature. In hot places, it will last much less.

How to keep pomelo in the fridge

To extend the shelf life of pomelos a little longer, especially if you live in a hot place, you can store them in the fridge. This method also does not require too much preparation.

Step 1: Clean the pomelos.

You can remove any traces of dust or dirt on them with a dry cloth or paper towel. Please do not go to wash them with water, so you avoid the pomelos retaining more moisture than necessary and spoiling faster.

Step 2: Put in a basket or the vegetable drawer.

You can put the pomelos in the drawer with the other vegetables or place them in a basket or container without covering them. Remember not to stack them.

Step 3: Tag.

Since they will last longer than a few days, you’d want to write the storage date somewhere. For example, you can put a label in the drawer or container where you have placed the pomelos or on the fridge door, so you will know how long they have been stored.

Step 4: Store the pomelos in the fridge.

If you put the pomelos in a basket or container, place them in a cool area, away from foods that emit a strong smell. The chilled pomelos or grapefruits will be in good condition for up to 2 weeks. [2]

How to freeze pomelo

Can pomelo be frozen? Yes, you can freeze the pomelo, but only its pulp, so you must peel it thoroughly before storing it in the freezer.

Step 1: Wash the pomelos.

As you should chop the pomelos, wash them with plenty of water to prevent contamination with the microorganisms in the shell, and then dry them with a kitchen cloth.

Step 2: Cut the pomelos.

You can chop it any way you want, but I advise you to get rid of the shell first, then the white membrane that covers it, until you can finally access the segments or slices.

Put them on a rack or strain to eliminate the excess juice they will most likely release.

Step 3: Put the segments on a tray.

Place the pomelo segments on a tray with parchment paper or a nonstick sheet to prevent the pieces from sticking to the tray when frozen.

Step 4: Perform the first freeze.

Put the tray in the freezer for about 4 hours or until completely frozen.

Step 5: Bag the pomelos.

Now you must pass the frozen pomelo into an airtight bag. You can divide it into several bags if you have a lot of pulp.

Step 6: Tag.

Write down the date of storage of the pomelos on the bag.

Step 7: Save the pomelos in the freezer.

In this way, the pomelos can last a whole year frozen. If you want to thaw it to make juice or some other preparation, pass it to the fridge a day before.

How to preserve chopped pomelo

If you chopped a pomelo but didn’t eat it completely, whether you cut it in half with everything and shell or peeled them completely, you can store it in the fridge as follows:

Step 1: Put the chopped pomelo inside an airtight bag or container.

Prevent the pomelo from drying out or absorbing the smell of other foods.

Step 2: Store the chopped pomelo in the fridge.

Put the chopped pomelo in the coldest part of your refrigerator. There it can last 3 or 4 days refrigerated. If you want to freeze it, follow the instructions in the previous step.

How to preserve pomelo juice

Pomelo juice is simple to store since it only requires leaving it in the same container you prepared in the fridge. However, cover it if you will not consume it the same day to prevent it from becoming contaminated.

This way, you can refrigerate the pomelo juice for an estimated 3 to 4 days. If you want it to last longer, you can freeze it, although, in this way, it may lose some of its properties. So if you will freeze it, I recommend you use an ice bucket or tray.

To freeze the pomelo juice, do the following:

Step 1: Put the juice in bags or molds to make ice cubes.

Pour the juice into airtight bags, which seal well, but try not to fill them completely to allow it to expand when frozen. On the other hand, you can use an ice bucket to make cubes.

Step 2: Perform first freezing.

Put the bags on a tray with a nonstick sheet or parchment paper, and arrange it horizontally so that it freezes faster. If you use the ice cube mold, put it directly in the freezer.

Let it freeze for about 4 hours or until they are completely hard.

Step 3: Transfer the frozen juice to a larger bag.

Unmold the frozen pomelo juice from the ice cube mold, and put them in a freezer bag with an airtight closure. While frozen bags, put them in a larger one.

Step 4: Tag.

Write or paste a label over the bag or container with the storage date and the product’s name.

Step 5: Store the pomelo juice in the freezer.

So you can freeze the pomelo juice for six months.

How to make pomelo jam

An efficient way to take advantage of pomelos would be to prepare a delicious jam. The amount of sugar you need is 70 or 75% the pomelo weight (depending on how sweet you want it).”, which means, every 4 cups of pomelo, you need 3 (or a little less) of sugar.

You will also require the juice of half a lemon. Having the ingredients on hand, you can already prepare the pomelo jam by following these indications:

Step 1: Wash the pomelos.

If you haven’t chopped the pomelos, wash them with plenty of water and dry them with a clean kitchen cloth, tea towel, or absorbent paper.

Step 2: Sterilize the glass jars.

To store the pomelo jam, you must have glass jars with an airtight or screw lid. These have to be clean and sterilized.

Put the jars with the lids in a pot with water, and boil for 15 minutes, and they will be sterilized. Remove them from the water with tweezers and leave them on racks to drain and dry.

Step 3: Chop and extract the pulp from the pomelo.

Remove the peel from the pomelo, then the white membrane, and extracts the segments. Also, you should remove all seeds.

Step 4: Cook the pomelo pulp.

In another pot, add the pulp of the pomelo, the juice of half a lemon, and the sugar. Bring to the stove over high heat until it begins to boil, and stir constantly.

Once boiling, lower the heat and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The jam should not be so thick while it is still cooking because it will become much thicker after cooling, so the jam is ready when it thickens but with a bit of liquid.

Step 5: Pass the jam to the jars.

Once the jam is ready, please wait for it to cool before passing it to the glass jars. Then, you can fill the jars, leaving at least one finger of free space, and close them tightly.

Step 6: Vacuum seal the jar.

Look for a large pot with a thick bottom, put tea towels at the bottom, and arrange the jars with jam preventing them from colliding.

Then, cover the jars with water and boil. When it begins to boil, wait about 20 or 30 minutes to complete the process. After this time, turn off the heat and wait for the water to cool before taking out the jars.

Step 7: Rest the jars with jam.

Remove the jars from the water using tweezers and put them in a place where the sun does not hit them.

Step 8: Tag.

Stick a label with the storage date.

Step 9: Save the pomelo jam.

You can store pomelo jam for 10 – 12 months in a dark, dry, and cool place in your pantry if the weather is not higher than 25°C (77°F) and the container remains sealed. However, it will only remain in good condition after opening for 3 to 4 months.

If the climate is higher than 25°C, it is best to refrigerate the pomelo jam, which can last from 12 to 18 months; once opened, it will only remain for about six months.

You can also freeze the pomelo jam for two years, but in this case, you must pass it to a bag or container that is suitable for freezing, in addition to being resistant to the freezer.

How do you know if pomelo got bad?

You will know that pomelos got bad when they have any of these characteristics:

If they have dry skin and feel light, the pulp loses all its liquids because you stored it too long.
If the pomelo is wet and watery, it is most likely that it has absorbed too much moisture from the environment and, therefore, rotten faster.
Pomelos with white or black spots or lint are also not in good condition, which indicates that they have developed mold.

And finally, don’t eat pomelos that smell or taste bad. If they give off a rancid smell or rotten fruit, or when tasting them tastes strange, throw them in the trash so that you do not get intoxicated.

Why is pomelo damaged?

Every natural product has its expiration date, some sooner than others. Although the pomelo does not continue to ripen after harvesting, external agents, microorganisms, and vermin will be responsible for damaging it.

For example, being outdoors, the heat and rays of the sun will dry the pomelo, while in humid environments, it will encourage the appearance of bacteria and fungi, which will cause it to rot.

On the other hand, in some cases, some vermin will be attracted to this fruit and eat it, so it will end up contaminated and not suitable for eating.

How long does pomelo last?

Product	Duration
Pomelo at room temperature	10 days
Pomelo in the fridge	2 weeks
Pomelo frozen	1 year
Pomelo segments in the fridge	3 – 4 days
Pomelo juice in the fridge	3 – 4 days
Pomelo juice frozen	6 months
Pomelo jam at room temperature (unopened)	10 – 12 months
Pomelo jam at room temperature (opened)	3 – 4 months
Pomelo jam in the fridge (unopened)	12 – 18 months
Pomelo jam in the fridge (opened)	6 months
Pomelo jam frozen	2 years

What is the best way to preserve pomelo?

You could say that storing pomelo in the fridge is the best way to preserve it; not only will it keep for a few weeks, but it will keep its juices for longer.

Anyway, given its thick skin, pomelo resists very well to be at room temperature, compared to most fruits.

If the pomelo is chopped, the best way to preserve it is to store it in the freezer since it will remain for a long time, although the longer it stays there, the more flavor changes.

Pomelo juice can be refrigerated and frozen. Although it lasts a short time in the fridge, it will better preserve its flavor and properties.

Another way to take advantage of a lot of pomelo or pomelo you have is to prepare a jam, and the best thing is that you can leave it at room temperature for a long time thanks to the sugar that will act as a preservative.

If you are interested in learning how to preserve some other fruit or food, I will give you more topics to dig into right now.