Watermelons are among my preferred summer foods, followed closely by cantaloupes and other melons, and to my mind, nothing tastes like late summer season like a sweet and crispy watermelon.
On the other hand, there’s nothing quite like the disappointment of biting into what you believed was a ripe watermelon, only to be rewarded by the boring and tasteless taste of an unripe melon. I have no idea if there’s a word for that feeling, but there truly ought to be.
It will not officially be summer season till you’ve had your first watermelon of the season. Chances are, however, that it’s had to do with a year considering that you’ve purchased your last watermelon. Do you remember how to pick out an excellent one? Did you ever truly understand?
How to Choose a Ripe Watermelon?
- A ripe watermelon will have a hollow noise when knocked, which sounds more like a ‘plunk’ than a ‘thwack’. An unripe watermelon will have more of a greater pitched noise, while an overripe one will make a ‘thud’ or a lower-pitched noise. Discovering the difference in between the noises of an unripe vs. a ripe watermelon takes a little practice, however one method to get a head start on it is to ask a melon grower at your regional farmers market (or perhaps the fruit and vegetables supervisor at the grocery store) to demonstrate it for you so you can hear it for yourself.
- Take a look at its belly: Watermelons have an underside, or belly, which touches with the ground throughout its growth, called a ‘field spot’. This spot on a ripe watermelon will be yellow-colored (sometimes referred to as “buttery”), and not white, which suggests an unripe melon.
- Pick up the watermelon and carry it a bit far from the remainder of the melons (so you don’t get the smell of other melons), and give it an excellent smell. A ripe watermelon should smell a little sweet, and just like what a melon tastes like, however not excessively sweet (which can indicate an overripe watermelon). This sniff test likewise works great (in fact, even better than for watermelons) on other types of melons, such as cantaloupes and honeydew.
- Gently squeeze the side of the watermelon to see if there’s a little ‘give’ to it. The skin of the melon shouldn’t be soft, as the skin of some fruits get when ripe, but it also should not be hard as a rock, with no give to it at all.
- If you’ve gone through the above tests and still cannot limit your choices in between a few watermelons, attempt comparing the weight of similarly-sized ones and choose the one that seems much heavier to you. This isn’t really a fail proof test, however I’ve found it to be relatively reliable.
There’s a certain art to selecting the best watermelons. It includes weighing the watermelon in between your hands, turning it over, and giving it a firm thwap! on the underside. Why? A heavy watermelon with a splotch on its belly and a hollow sound indicates it is overflowing with juice and at the peak of its ripeness.
At the grocery store, you’re more likely to be on your own. But not completely on your own, due to the fact that we’ve got some actions to assist you select the best watermelon.
How to Choose a Ripe Watermelon at the Grocery Store
- Select it up: Big or small, the watermelon needs to feel heavy for its size.
- Search for the yellow spot: Watermelons establish a splotch where they rest on the ground. When this splotch is velvety yellow, it’s ripe.
- Give it a thump: Tap the underbelly of the watermelon. A ripe one will have a deep hollow noise. Under-ripe or over-ripe melons will sound dull.
Diet Tips
Fortunate for you, buying watermelons at a farmers market gets much of the guesswork: Farmers understand their business and will only collect watermelons for sale when they’re genuinely ripe.
When in doubt, ask the farmer to choose a melon for you. At a farmers market, you can likewise taste a sample and feel confident that the watermelon you take home will taste the same.
Have a Good Day! I Wish You Good Health!
