Most people have no idea how to select a watermelon. They just knock on this over-sized fruit as if they know what they are doing. Although it can be difficult to know how ripe a melon is by inspecting the outside, there are several tricks you can learn to help you pick the perfect watermelon.
There’s a definite art to picking the very best watermelons. It involves weighing the melon between your hands, turning it over, and giving it a firm thump on the underside. A heavy watermelon with a splotch on its belly and a hollow sound means it is brimming with juice and at the peak of its ripeness.
Buying watermelons at a farmers market takes out much of the guesswork. Farmers know their business and will only harvest watermelons for sale when they’re truly ripe. When in doubt, ask the farmer to pick a melon for you. At a farmers market, you can also taste a sample and feel confident that the watermelon you take home will taste the same.
Tip For Selecting The Perfect Watermelon
- Take A Look: Look for a melon that has bright skin, is firm, symmetrical, and free of cuts
- Pick It Up: Big or small, the watermelon should feel heavy for its size. “Water” melons contain more than 90% water and the ripest ones have the most water
- Look for the Yellow Spot: Watermelons develop a splotch from where it sat on the ground. When this splotch is creamy yellow, it’s ripe.
- Give It a Thump: Tap the underbelly of the watermelon. A ripe one will have a deep hollow sound. If not ripe enough, it will sound solid; if too ripe, it will sound thick; if perfect, it will sound hollow.
Source: The Food Network