Want neat slices of juicy watermelon for summer snacking, fruit salads, or blending into slush? Want to know how to cut a watermelon when it's such a big, hulking mass-larger than anything else you cut on a regular basis? Well, stick around. Even if you're not a novice home cook, buying pre-cut packages of fruit can be tempting. A few reasons to avoid them: they cost more per pound, lead to increased food waste and require additional packaging (so much plastic wrap!)-plus, pre-cut melon is prone to drying out, rendering it far less delicious than the best, freshest slice.
We're not saying irregular slices of watermelon can't be as delicious as pristine, perfect cubes-try them in a watermelon salad. Heck, even spheres from a melon baller can be fun if you're feeling retro-fancy. But there's nothing like the satisfaction of an impeccably cut watermelon, and once you know how to do it, you'll see it takes just about the same amount of prep time-maybe less.
The following techniques include removing the watermelon rind, allowing you to butcher the fruit most easily. If you prefer to keep the natural handle it provides, particularly for snackable fresh watermelon wedges and sticks, skip that step. If you choose to cut away the rind, consider pickling it to add to cheese boards, salads, and more. Read on for three step-by-step tutorials to ace your cutting skills for this classic summer fruit, no fancy hacks required.
There's no way around it. To buy a ripe watermelon, you'll need to pick up a few. It should be heavy for its size, indicating lots of watermelon juice. It should have a yellowish "field spot" on one side, which is where it lay on the ground as it ripened. A whiter spot indicates it had less time on the vine and thus may be less sweet. The rind should be firm with no soft spots. And it should make a hollow sound when you thwunk it with your finger.
Always start with a large, sharp knife like a chef's knife and a large cutting board. Using a board built with a small trough around the edge to catch all that ripe watermelon juice is even better. Grab an airtight container for storing all your watermelon work, and make sure you have space set aside for reserving the large portions you're not actively working with.
$59.00, Schoolhouse (Large)
Good for: Freezing for watermelon smoothies, threading onto skewers, adding to salads, or eating more than your fair share.
Good for: Making an "irregular cuts" salad with feta wedges, handing out to "the kids," eating on the 4th of July (sparkler in the other hand).
Good for: Watermelon margarita garnishes; eating while staring into the fridge, wondering what's for dinner.