Honey Pomelo – what is it, how to peel it and eat it?
Have you ever tried a honey pomelo? When I bought my first one in 2016, my kids thought it was a prop for my photo shoots! And then, we all fell in love with this giant citrus fruit. And now, every winter we share at least one pomelo!
Honey Pomelo at a Glance
Season in Canada: Late fall to early spring – January is ideal time to buy.
Where to Buy: Produce aisle, next to other citrus in large grocery stores in Canada
Flavour: One of the mildest citrus out there – mild, lightly sweet, not bitter, not sour
Texture: Firm, less juicy than oranges or grapefruit
Size: 2–4 lb (1–2 kg)
Best uses: Fresh eating, salads, parfaits
First Published: February 25, 2016
Last Updated: January 27, 2026
Read more: 5 Common Winter Citrus Varieties, How to Segment Citrus Fruits, How to Make Pomelo Salad
What Is a Pomelo?
Pomelo is a type of citrus fruit native to South and South East Asia.
It’s the biggest of all citrus fruit weighing between 2-4 pounds (1-2 kg).
Pomelo is the least acidic of all citrus fruit and does not taste as “sour” as other citrus fruit. While some varieties are more juicy than others, pomelo is typically also less juicy than other citrus varieties.
The flesh colour is semi-transparent and may be pale lime, yellow, peach or dark pink depending on variety.
It comes in several different varieties that may or may not be shown in the store. Based on my experience here in Canada, the light yellow Honey Pomelo is typically what we will get unless otherwise specified. But they’re delicious so grab ’em!
I’ve also bought “Grapefruit Pomelo” which was light pink, juicier and a little more tart than the honey pomelo, “Ruby Pomelo” and “Jaffa Red” which were deep pink and very similar in flavour to the honey pomelo.
The skin of the pomelo is smooth like a grapefruit, but the fruit itself is quite a bit larger. Botanists believe that the pomelo came before the grapefruit and that the grapefruit is a cross between a pomelo and an orange.
NOTE: Pomelo and Medications
Because of this close tie to grapefruit, Pomelo, like grapefruit, contains natural compounds that can interfere with how certain medications are absorbed and metabolized in the body. This interaction can increase or decrease the effectiveness of some prescription drugs, including certain cholesterol medications, blood pressure medications, and others. If you take prescription medication and have been advised to avoid grapefruit, it’s best to check with your pharmacist or healthcare provider before eating pomelo.
As it ripens the skin typically turns from green to yellow although some green may remain on the peel even when at its ripest. The rind of a pomelo is quite thick, but once scored, fairly easy to peel. The membrane between slices is very tough and papery, you’ll definitely want to remove it as I demonstrate in the video.
The fruits I’ve had were all seedless with a few very tiny underdeveloped seeds.
What Does It Taste Like?
The flavor is milder than a grapefruit – not as bitter, not as sour but there is definitely a resemblance. I also found them to be much more firm and less juicy than other citrus. Everyone in our house, young and old, enjoyed the flavour and texture.
Unfortunately, sometimes you can get an old or dried out pomelo where the flesh is very, very dry. If that’s your first experience with a pomelo – give it another chance!
How to Select a Good Pomelo?
Pomelos are often wrapped individually in red plastic mesh or bags. It may be hard to see the pomelo completely – so be sure to feel all around. Here are my top tips for choosing the best pomelo:
- Consider the time of year. You’re likely going to have best results mid-season (January-February). If it’s the very first shipment of pomelos in the store (late fall), they might have been picked slightly underripe. If it’s late in the pomelo season (late spring), you might be seeing pomelos that have been stored for a while.
- Look for smooth, blemish free rind. It’s likely that the rind will have a green tinge to it, that’s normal for pomelos and doesn’t necessarily mean it’s under-ripe.
- Feel for soft spots. The packaging can make it hard to see – feel all the way around.
- Hold and compare pomelos. Look for the one that feels heaviest, it’s likely the juiciest!
- Go for middle of the road in terms of size and colour.
Once you bring your pomelo home, keep it on the counter for no more than 5 to 6 days. If you want to store it longer, keep it in the fridge, but let it come to room temperature before serving for best flavour.
How Do You Peel a Pomelo?
Peeling pomelos is a labour of love – it does take a bit of time and patience. If you’re the type of person who likes the challenge of removing all the white stuff (pith) off a mandarin orange – you’re going to love pomelos!
If you hate working for your fruit – maybe opt for a mandarin orange instead! Pomelos take a little work.
Video: How to Select & Peel a Honey Pomelo
How to Peel a Honey Pomelo
Honey Pomelo
Ingredients
- 1 pomelo
Instructions
- Slice top and bottom off the pomelo where the pith meets the flesh. The stem end will be thicker than the bottom of the pomelo.
- Use a sharp knife to score four cuts in the peel from the top to bottom at equal distances around the pomelo. Do not cut into the flesh, cut the peel only.
- Peel off the skin.
- Follow the natural segments of the pomelo to pry it in half.
- Remove the papery wall membranes from each segment carefully to keep segments as whole as possible.
- If needed, use a paring knife to remove the tough part of the pith.
- Eat and enjoy.
- To store leftovers, wrap in plastic wrap and store in fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Video
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
How To Eat It?
Once you’ve peeled and segmented them, just eat ’em as is. Share with a friend – cuz it’s big! You can also put leftover wedges in an airtight container in the fridge to snack on for a couple of days.
Enjoy those segments in this easy pomelo salad featuring a Thai-inspired, rich umami dressing.
You can also try it in this yogurt and granola parfait or in any of the citrus salads.
Let me know if you try it and what you think of it.
This post was first published in 2016. It was last updated in January 2027.
Cook with the seasons, effortlessly! I’m Getty, a food educator and Professional Home Economist, helping you select, store, and serve seasonal ingredients in delicious, simple, everyday meals. Sign up for seasonal tips and recipes delivered straight to your inbox, and dive deeper with my books, guides, or YouTube content.
I’ve never heard of Honey Pomelo before! The peeling tips were super helpful, and I can’t wait to try it. It sounds delicious and refreshing. Thanks for the detailed post!
Great post! I’ve always been curious about honey pomelo but never knew how to peel it properly. Your step-by-step instructions and tips on eating it make it seem a lot less intimidating. I can’t wait to try it out!
I had never heard of honey pomelo before reading this post! The peeling and eating tips are super helpful. I can’t wait to try it – it sounds delicious and refreshing! Thanks for sharing!
I loved this post about Honey Pomelo! I’ve always been curious about how to eat it properly, and your step-by-step peeling guide was super helpful. Can’t wait to try it out! Thanks for sharing!
Bought one today at Lidl paid £2.99 , hadn’t seen this post so sliced it down the middle then peeled the thick skin . Quite a nice taste not sour and not mega sweet. Enjoyed it what’s left wrapped in cling film and refrigerated
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Not sour and not mega sweet is a good description. Great way to save leftovers – they’re so big, they’re hard to finish in one sitting.
I had no idea honey pomelos existed until I read this post! The peeling tips are super helpful, and I can’t wait to try it for the first time. Thanks for sharing the info!
I loved this post! I’ve always been curious about honey pomelo but never knew how to peel it properly. Your step-by-step instructions were super helpful, and the tips on enjoying it made me want to try it right away. Can’t wait to find one and give it a taste!
Glad you found this helpful.
I’ve never tried honey pomelo before, but your post makes it sound so delicious! The peeling tips are super helpful—I always struggle with citrus fruits! Can’t wait to find one and give it a go. Thanks for sharing!
Hope you enjoy your first pomelo!
This post on Honey Pomelo is super helpful! I’ve always been curious about how to properly peel and enjoy it. Your step-by-step guide makes it seem so much easier. Can’t wait to try it out myself! Thanks for the tips!
Glad to help, enjoy your pomelo.
Hi Getty could you tell me if this fruit is nearer grapefruit or orange and is it compatible to eat if you take warfarin thanx. Neil
Hi Neil,
I do not know if pomelo should be eaten by people taking warfarin. Grapefruit is a cross between a pomelo and orange, so there are definitely some similar traits between grapefruit and pomelo. I would not take any chances.
Getty
Hi Miss Steward, could please tell me if Valentine pomelo, and Chandler pomelo taste like. I want to buy the tree but I prefer the less bitter kind. I have hard time finding a good draft pomelo tree in Long Beach CA. Thanks
Hi Ruby,
I wish I could help, but I’m not familiar enough with the different varieties to advise you on this. My recommendation is to find a local greenhouse/garden centre or nursery that has intimate knowledge of what grows well in your area.
Good luck!
Getty
Pomelo skin has many cancer fighting benefits. It is very bitter and hard to cover up in shakes. I read you can candy the skin. Do you have any suggestions for eating the skin?
Hi Autumn,
I have not found a way to eat the pomelo skins. Marmalade or candied peel might be worth a try, although I don’t have recipes for either of those.
Good luck,
Getty
Thank you, greetings from Norway! Merry christmas
Merry Christmas to you too Eirik! Thanks for visiting.
My son has just brought one and asked if l could ID the type of fruit it was. I,m lucky to be well travelled, so have already enjoyed the pomelo. However all the ones l have experienced had turned yell, whereas this one is still green. Do we have to wait for it to ripen before enjoying the excellent flavour of this exotic fruit ?
Hi John
It’s always fun to try new fruits. Citrus fruit does not ripen any further once picked, so go ahead and try what your son brought home. It’s good that you have previous experience so you can see if you’re going to have a fair evaluation. If it’s too tart because it’s underripe I hope you’ll try again!
My daughter told me about a friend bringing pomelo to school for lunch. I decided to try one for home. What a pleasant surprise. It’s hard to believe such a pale looking fruit would have so much flavour.
Thanks for showing how to peel the fruit. That was a bit of a workout for my hands, but it was well worth it.
Desmond
Hi Desmond,
Oh I’m so glad you gave it a try and enjoyed it! Yes, they are definitely a bit of work, but well worth it. Once in a while you may get a dry one, but that’s just the way it goes. Glad you enjoyed your first one and know what to look forward to.
Thank you so much! We have these growing in our back yard and I was at a loss as what to do with them!
Wow, I am just a little bit envious – pomelos growing in your backyard?! Lucky you. Enjoy!
While Florida I discovered pink pomelo which were delicious. Arriving back to Eastern Canada I found white pomelos from China which were very dried out and sure not like the ones from Florida groves. Once I discovered how to peel them, I became a fan.
Food is always at its freshest and best when it’s local. We take our chances when eating food, especially produce, that has had to be shipped for many, many miles. I’ve run into a few dry pomelos as well, but it hasn’t stopped me from trying again. Love them! I bet those fresh pink Florida pomelos were amazing!
Hi Getty, I love pomelos. The ones in the photos you show look good. The problem I have with pomelos in the US is that most of the ones you buy at the market are “Franken-fruit”. You can’t segment most of them as shown in your photos because they overlap and run together. I’d love to know where I can buy fruit that is more like the ones from Asia. Thanks, Robert
Hi Robert,
I wonder if smaller stores specializing in Asian foods might import better quality fruit compared to large grocery chains. Buying pomelos in North America is a bit of a hit and miss game for sure. Good luck.
Thanks for the instruction. I picked it up not knowing anything about, other than it looked interesting haven’t tried it yet. As I’m on a Statin and you are not suppose to eat Grapefruits when taking Statins, I may not buy another one, even if I love them. 🙁
Hi Gail,
Glad you found the information useful and are taking the necessary precautions. Perhaps you can treat yourself to some other interesting fruit? If you have a chance to visit an Asian market there are some very tasty fruits – rambutan, lychee, mangosteen, jackfruit and so on.
Wishing you best of health.
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How might they work in winemaking ?
Must try it
Interesting question Tom! Have you ever used any citrus in wine making? I bet you could make a limoncello with pomelo – pomelcello?! Keep us posted on your results.
I’m trying Pomelocello next with my Lemoncello recipe! We are lucky here in Burbank. We start getting pomelos from San Diego and I prep them as soon as I get them, using my kitchen sheers to segment. I absolutely LOVE ice cold segmented pomelo!!
Oh yum! You are lucky to get fresh local pomelos.
How do I know when to cut it? Mine was all dry 🙁
Aw, shucks Pierre. I’ve had the occasional dry one as well. Hope you give them another chance. Best time to get them in the supermarket here in North America is late winter – January to March. Hope your next experience is juicier!
Hi Getty ….Thank you for help with peeling .. Thoroughly love this fruit . What a great tasting fruit .
Hi Carol. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. It is a lovely fruit isn’t it – once you get in!
This was a good guide to eating a lovely fruit! I decided to cut mine in half and use a grapefruit knife. I served it as is for tasting by my guests. I was amazing and tasted a bit like apple and grapefruit. tks
Sounds like a good alternative for trying Pomelo. Hope your guests enjoyed it.