1,523 easy and fully explained recipes, with +66K photos and 78 videos

This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...

How to peel a fruit

Name: How to peel a fruit
Prep time: 32 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 1 piece
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 grapefruit

Usually French chefs says "peler à vif", which means to completely peel the fruit (removing skin and core) and keep only the very best of the flesh. Here is a method for grapefruit, but it can be used for all the other citrus fruit, and many other fruits.

195 K 4.0/5 (26 reviews)

35 min.

Easy

0.55 €

1 piece

1 Ingredient

Last modified on: February 21^th 2011

For 1 piece, you will need:

1 1 grapefruit
Total weight: 340 grams

Times for this recipe

Preparation: 35 min.

When should you start or finish this recipe?

If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time

To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time

Step by step recipe

Stage 1 - 2 min.

You will need the following utensils:

A chopping board
A good knife

Cut top and bottom off the fruit.

Stage 2 - 3 min.

Split the skin vertically into 4 quarters of similar size.

Stage 3 - 2 min.

Pull off the quarters of skin. With them you can make delicious candied peel.

Stage 4 - 2 min.

If necessary, trim any remaining white pith from top and bottom.

Stage 5 - 1 min.

Put the fruit in front of you, remove the white pith by cutting in vertical strips all round the fruit.

Stage 6 - 2 min.

Complete the operation by trimming off any remaining bits of pith. It's easier if you turn fruit upside down at this stage.

Stage 7 - 7 min.

You should get a "clean" fruit. It is now "pelé à vif", but you need to separate the segments of flesh.

Stage 8 - 1 min.

For the first segment, choose a large one and cut from the outside towards the centre, following the left-hand membrane (transparent skin).

Stage 9 - 2 min.

Then do the same thing with the right-hand membrane.

Stage 10 - 1 min.

And so separate the first segment.

Stage 11 - 1 min.

For all the other segments, start again with the left-hand membrane, and cut from outside to centre.

Stage 12 - 1 min.

Now comes the critical moment, when the blade of your knife reaches the centre: turn it gently half a turn (exacty as if you were turning a key to lock a door), and continue cutting, this time back from the centre towards the outside.

Stage 13 - 1 min.

You will notice that there is only a little to cut, because the turn pratically detaches the segment.

Stage 14 - 1 min.

Then remove the segment... You might need to finish by removing a few pips or pieces of membrane.

Stage 15 - 5 min.

Do this for all segments.

Stage 16

Have a look at this short video, to see how to peel a grapefruit...

Stage 17

...and in this one, a kiwi.

Remarks

This operation is rather long, but what a result! If you make a fruit salad like this you will be surprised (so will your guests) by the sweetness of your dessert (no hint of bitterness from the pith).

I suggest that you work over a strainer on a bowl, or use a chopping board with a small reservoir to keep the fruit juice that runs out. Similarly, squeeze all unused parts of the fruit before discarding them.

Keeping: Several hours in the fridge, covered by a plastic film.

Source: Home made.

Nutritional information

	Proteins (gr)	Carbohydrates (gr)	Fats (gr)	Energy value (in k-calories)	Energy value (in k-joules)
Whole recipe	2 RDI=1 %	30 RDI=2 %	0	130 RDI=5 %	540 RDI: 5 %
Per 100 g	0	9 RDI=1 %	0	40 RDI=1 %	160 RDI: 1 %