How to Split Oranges

Sliced orange with skin intact

While you can simply eat an orange whole, many recipes call for sliced or segmented oranges. Take the time to split an orange properly to increase flavor by removing the pith, which provides a bitter taste, before eating this citrus treat plain or using it as a garnish for a food or beverage or in a fruit salad, green salad or other dish.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp paring knife

Instructions

1. Cut the top and bottom off the orange. Set the orange down flat on a cutting board. Carve around the skin, cutting as closely to the pith as possible. Work your way around until you have removed the entire skin. Remove any remaining chunks of pith.

2. Hold the peeled fruit in your palm and find a section of the peeled orange to cut into. Cut as closely to the membrane as possible on both sides of each slice.

3. Remove each slice one at a time from the fruit. As you cut, leave the membranes, folding them over to make room to cut the next slice. Discard the remaining fruit after removing all of the edible slices.

References

• Beyond Salmon: How to Section an Orange
• Serious Eats: Knife Skills: How to Cut Citrus Segments