Knife Skills

Suprême

Cut clean citrus segments free of all pith and membrane

Suprêming carves the peel and pith off citrus, then cuts each segment free of its membrane, leaving glistening, pith-free wedges for salads and plating. It's an elegant, fruit-forward cut. Slice off the top and bottom first, pare away the rind, then slip the knife between each membrane.

Suprêming carves citrus into clean, glistening segments completely free of peel, pith, and membrane — just the pure flesh. It's an elegant, fruit-forward cut for salads, plating, and desserts, turning an orange or grapefruit into jewel-like wedges with no bitter pith or chewy membrane. The method is methodical: slice off the top and bottom to make flat ends, pare away the peel and pith following the fruit's curve, then slip the knife between each membrane to release the segments. The leftover membranes are worth squeezing — they hold a surprising amount of juice.

Difficulty: Intermediate

Types & varieties

Orange suprême

Classic clean orange segments for salads and desserts.

Grapefruit suprême

Pith-free grapefruit segments, especially worthwhile given its thick, bitter membrane.

Mixed-citrus suprême

Segments of several citrus types for a bright, colorful salad or garnish.

How to do it

1
Cut flat ends
Slice off the top and bottom of the fruit so it stands flat and you can see the flesh.
2
Pare off the peel
Following the curve of the fruit, cut downward to remove the peel and all the white pith in strips.
3
Tidy any pith
Trim away any remaining white pith so only the colored flesh shows.
4
Cut between membranes
Hold the fruit over a bowl and slip the knife along each side of a segment, freeing it from the membrane.
5
Release the segments
Let each clean segment fall into the bowl as you work around the fruit.
6
Squeeze the remains
Squeeze the leftover membrane core over the bowl to capture the extra juice.

Why remove the membrane

Citrus pith and the membranes between segments are bitter and chewy, masking the bright, juicy flesh. Suprêming strips both away so you get pure, tender, glistening segments — far more elegant on a plate and better-eating in a salad or dessert. Working over a bowl catches the juice that drips, and squeezing the spent membranes afterward recovers a useful amount more for a dressing or sauce.

Common uses

Citrus segments for saladsElegant dessert and plating garnishFruit for tarts and pavlovaCitrus in ceviche and crudoBright garnish for fish and duckFruit salads free of bitter membrane