How to Cut a Grapefruit Three Ways (with Photos!)

The grapefruit is one of the most underrated fruits of all time. Although this tart and sweet fruit has been a staple in American supermarkets for decades, it doesn't have the popularity it deserves.

There are a couple of reasons grapefruit might be neglected. First, people associate grapefruit with boring breakfasts, and second, grapefruits seem unnecessarily hard to cut. We're here to counter-argue both of those complaints about grapefruit. Before we share with you all the ways this flavor bomb can be used in the kitchen, we're going to break down our three favorite ways of cutting a grapefruit. Fortunately, cutting up a grapefruit is not as hard as you think!

What Is Grapefruit?

A grapefruit is a sweet and sour citrus fruit with tropical and woody notes. According to Purdue University, the first descriptions of grapefruit are from 1750 in Barbados, and its existence was noted in Jamaica later in the 18th century. It is believed to be a spontaneous hybrid of an orange and pomelo. The name "grapefruit" is derived from the fact that the fruit grows in clusters like grapes.

Today there are many different varieties of grapefruit that range in size and color (from pale yellow to ruby red). Although peak citrus season is the winter, grapefruit can be found year-round in the United States.

Although a grapefruit is similar in anatomy to an orange, it's not quite as straightforward to eat. This is because a grapefruit's flesh is surrounded by bitter pith and tough membrane—both of which are edible but not enjoyable to eat. The good news is that cutting one doesn't require any elaborate skills—just a little effort and time. Here are our three favorite ways of cutting a grapefruit.

How to Cut a Grapefruit in Half

If we're craving grapefruit for breakfast, this is our go-to method because it's fast, simple and mess-free.

Step 1

Get a cutting board, a chef's knife and a small paring knife. You can also use a grapefruit knife, which has a small curved blade that's serrated.

Step 2

Place your grapefruit on its side. Use your chef's knife to cut the grapefruit in half by slicing it down the middle or equator.

Step 3

Take your small knife and free up each segment by running the blade around the inside of the membrane walls.

Step 4

Place the grapefruit in a bowl and use a spoon to remove each segment to eat them. When done, squeeze the leftover juice into the bowl and drink it!

How to Cut Grapefruit into Segments or Suprêmes

Segments, or as the French call them, suprêmes, are great for when you want to include grapefruit in salads or desserts.

Step 1

Get a cutting board and a sharp chef's knife. If you happen to have a flexible fillet knife, you can use that instead. The long and thin blade works well for peeling and cutting grapefruit segments.

Step 2

Slice off both ends of the grapefruit. Make sure to cut enough so that the grapefruit flesh is exposed.

Step 3

Set the grapefruit on one end. Use your knife to cut away the rind and the white pith. Cut small strips from top to bottom and follow the curve of the grapefruit as you work your way around the entire fruit. If there's any pith remaining, cut it off.

Step 4

To remove sections, hold your knife in one hand and the grapefruit in the other. Find a section and cut inside one of the membrane walls at an angle. Cut along the other membrane wall to remove the section. Repeat until all segments have been removed.

How to Peel a Grapefruit

This method is the most time consuming and tedious, but we like it because it results in the least amount of waste.

Step 1

Use a sharp knife to score the rind of the grapefruit to help peel the skin off.

Step 2

Halve the grapefruit by pulling it apart, and then repeat to quarter.

Step 3

Use your knife to make a little incision into the membrane of one section.

Step 4

Carefully peel back the membrane, then carefully pull the segment out. If the area where the flesh meets the pith is extra tough, use your knife to help separate the two. Repeat until all the sections have been removed.

Health Benefits of Grapefruit

Grapefruit is low in calories but high in nutrients. According to the USDA, half a medium grapefruit contains about:

• 52 calories
• 13 grams carbohydrates
• 1 gram protein
• 2 grams fiber

Grapefruit is also an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, with 43% and 28% of the Daily Value, respectively. Vitamin C has been shown to help your body's immune system, and can also aid in tissue and wound repair, while vitamin A has been shown to promote eye health, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

How to Store a Grapefruit

If you're planning on eating your grapefruits within a day or two, it's OK to leave them out at room temperature. However, if you want to keep them longer, put them in a plastic bag and place them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. When stored this way, grapefruit will keep for up to two weeks.

Bottom Line

Although a grapefruit might not have the same wow factor as some other citrus varieties, its bright and zingy flavor will bring a lot of excitement to your meals. And lucky for you, you now know three different ways of cutting one. As for our favorite grapefruit recipes, you can't go wrong with these Fish Tacos with Preserved Grapefruit Salsa on a hot summer day. This Ancho-Spiced Chicken Skillet with Grapefruit Salsa is a super-flavorful and filling dish that comes together in just 30 minutes. If you're not ready to dive into the world of segments, try this Brown Sugar Broiled Grapefruit recipe. It's technically a dessert, but we won't judge you if you have it for breakfast.