You've Been Cutting Oranges Wrong This Whole Time

From freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast to boozy mimosas for a crowd, oranges are one of the most versatile, delicious, and healthiest fruits out there. Packed with vitamins C and B, oranges are the perfect on-the-go snack, especially during the wintertime as they help keep your immune system kicking. And since they're such a staple citrus, peeling them should be straightforward, right? Well, if done wrong, a poor peeling method can lead to pieces of skin and pith in unwanted places. For those who don't love the texture orange pith brings, consider cutting it like you would a mango, leaving the core and pith aside for a clean-looking collection of orange slices.

The "Dorm Dude" technique, as coined by Thanh Truong aka Fruit Nerd on Instagram, ensures that no pith remains but that all of the sweet meat of the orange is utilized. This method requires you to cut vertically around the inner core, which is super fibrous, to obtain two large semicircles. Once you have the inner section and core remaining, cut around the core to obtain two smaller slices. Cut the larger slices into three smaller slices, and scrape away all of the meat from each individual peel. By the end, you should have eight slices ready to garnish a dish, or to simply eat as-is. And you don't even have to get orange residue all over your hands!

The main attraction of oranges cut using this method is that they're juicier and more moist, without the dry, chalky white pith that comes with traditional peeling. Pith-free orange slices are almost too pretty to want to eat, but there are a myriad of ways to get the most out of them. One way is to pair them with other fruits, like grapefruit. The sweet and bitter combo can be highlighted in our recipe for charred citrus salad, which is filled with other contrasting flavors like arugula and Greek yogurt. If you're not too big on citrus, try adding fennel for a more simple salad that has a refreshing crunch to it. And for a bit of protein, add your beautifully cut slices to garnish a mandarin chicken pasta salad.

For those with a sweet tooth, never fear. Oranges pair well with chocolate, and especially dark chocolate; similar to the grapefruit and orange combination, the sweetness and bitterness create a bold flavor profile. If you aren't in the baking mood, simply melt some chocolate, dip your oranges in them, top with some flaky sea salt, and throw them in the refrigerator for a fancy midday pick-me-up. Use the "Dorm Dude" technique with blood oranges to top a chocolate-blood orange pot de crème, or elevate this chocolate orange tart with your sleek, pith-free slices for a dazzling dessert.