Picking a tasty, ripe watermelon isn’t hard, but takes a little more than just thwacking melons in the supermarket. Here’s what you need to know to find the ideal watermelon and then slice it to perfection.
Photo by cookbookman17
The blog Fifteen Spatulas explains that the key to selecting the perfect watermelon is to first look for one that’s a little dull: the shiny melons haven’t had time in the sun to properly ripen. More importantly, look for a nice cream-colored field spot on the side of the melon — the darker the spot, the longer the melon has had to ripen in the sun. If you must thwack it, the body should be firm. If you hear a dull thud, the melon is under-ripe.
From there, carving the melon is just as easy. Assuming you want to cut it into pieces (and not end-to-end slices, which are much easier eating), the video above will show you how (starting at about 1:20). Cut just enough off of the ends, stand it up, then cut the rind away, curving the knife along the body of the melon. This way you lose as little of the flesh as possible, and when you’re finished, you have a huge melon ball, ready to use.
In the video, Joanne slices the watermelon into chunks from there for easy serving, and so some can go into a watermelon smoothie she mentions at the end of the article linked below. Check it out for a step by step, complete with photos.
How to Pick a Superstar Watermelon [Fifteen Spatulas]
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