In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticlePick a Perfect WatermelonCut WatermelonStore WatermelonUse Watermelon

In This ArticleView All

View All

In This Article

Pick a Perfect Watermelon

Cut Watermelon

Store Watermelon

Use Watermelon

Sure, you can buy precut watermelon from the grocery store, but why bother? Pick up a whole one and cut it yourself. Freshly cut watermelon is far superior in flavor and texture, plus it’s cheaper too. The thing is, cutting a whole watermelon is a lot likecutting a whole pineapple. Where exactly do you start?

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon

Photo: Elizabeth Laseter.

Selection of watermelons at grocery store.

If you’ve ever lugged a watermelon home from the grocery store or farmers market, then you know it’s a workout. But before you do all of that work, you want to be sure you’ve chosen a ripe watermelon.

So how do you know when a watermelon is ripe? Similar to pineapples, watermelons have a thick outer skin that can make this task seem difficult, but it’s not impossible. There are a few tricks you can try to help you out.

Weight:Watermelon is composed of mostly water, so a ripe fruit will feel much heavier than it looks. What’s the easiest way to tell? Simply pick it up!

Color:Look for a yellow spot on the green skin. This marking shows where the watermelon rested on the ground before it was picked—and it’s a telltale sign of ripeness.

Feel:Give your watermelon a good knock. Does it sound hollow on the inside? If yes, then you’ve picked a winner. If no, then it’s probably underripe.

If you have the option of buying aseedless watermelon, I suggest doing it. While a seedless watermelon isn’t entirely seedless, the small white seeds inside are soft enough to eat without worry. It will be much easier to cut since you won’t have to dodge the large black seeds that watermelons typically contain. Seedless watermelon works better in recipes, too.

How to Cut Watermelon

Ready to get started? First, make sure you have a good-qualitylarge serrated knifeand alarge cutting board. Some say a sharp knife is enough and, while you can technically use a chef’s knife, I strongly recommend using a serrated knife. The sawing motion of this knife makes those tougher first cuts through the watermelon’s skin a lot easier.

Before we dive in, it would also be helpful to know the difference betweenlengthwiseandcrosswise. Lengthwise is pole-to-pole, meaning along the “length” of the food. For example, for a tomato, lengthwise would be the base to the stem. Crosswise is simply the opposite direction or a 90-degree angle to your lengthwise cut.

Step 1: Cut Off the Ends

Cut off the ends of the watermelon.

Step 2: Remove the Skin

Remove the watermelon skin.

Don’t toss the skin! Peel away the top layer to access thewatermelon rind, which has a crunchy texture like a cucumber. But what can you do with it? Watermelon rind is delicious pickled and added to salads, grain bowls and more.

how to pickle anything

Step 3: Trim the Flesh

Trim the watermelon flesh.

After you remove the skin, trim and discard any remaining white spots so that all you see is pink watermelon flesh. This is also a good opportunity to wipe down your cutting board. You want it to be dry before you move on to the next step.

Step 4: Cut Lengthwise Into Boards

Cut the watermelon into planks.

Here’s a good rule of thumb: Cut only as many “boards” as you think you’ll need. Watermelon is perishable, and storing it in larger pieces helps it stay fresher longer.

Step 5: Cut Lengthwise Into Planks

Cut watermelon boards into planks.

Next, take each watermelon board and cut it lengthwise into smaller, 1-inch-thick “planks.” You can also stack several boards on top of each other to make this task more efficient.

Step 6: Cut Crosswise Into Cubes

Cut watermelon planks into cubes.

Now, pat yourself on the back. You’ve successfully cut a whole watermelon!

Cutting a watermelon into cubes offers endless ways to use it, but it’s not the only method out there:

You could also cut and hollow out a watermelon to make a stunning fruit bowl.

How to Store Watermelon

Cubed watermelon in plastic storage container.

Watermelon is best consumed right after you cut it, but that’s not always possible. If you need to save it for later, that’s perfectly fine, but it needs to be stored properly. Here’s an easy way to store cut watermelon in the refrigerator to stay juicy and crisp. You can alsostore it in the freezer, but the texture will be similar to pureed, so it’s best used in recipes for soups and drinks.

Refrigerator Storage

What You’ll Need:

  1. Line a food-storage container with paper towels.

  2. Arrange watermelon in a single layer inside the container. Place another layer of paper towels over the watermelon.

  3. Repeat with the remaining watermelon, making sure to separate each layer with paper towels.

  4. Cover and refrigerate. Consume within 5 to 7 days, making sure to change out the paper towels every other day. Discard any watermelon that starts to feel mushy.

Freezer Storage

How to Use Cut Watermelon

Cut watermelon, avocado, and tomato in bowl.

Featured Recipe:Tomato, Watermelon & Avocado Salad

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