topic The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon in Community Chat

The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

wismiss — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:28:37 GMT

I saw this on TV a while ago and it is the best way to pick out a watermelon.

Look at the "yellow" spot on the watermelon. That spot is the where the melon laid in the field. The bigger the spot, the riper the melon. It means that the melon ripened in the field longer than a melon with a little yellow spot.

I've tried knocking, pushing the stem end, smelling, etc., but this tip is the one that works the best and is very consistent.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

deepwaterdotter — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:28:56 GMT

I saw this tip on the "Very Vera" cooking show this weekend.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

amyb — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 11:49:34 GMT

I learned that last year from my local farm market. It seems to work.

Also, this year, also from my farm market...knock on it...should sound hollow. Not sure why...but that's what she said.

This year also...our local farm markets had native (to CT) very dark, solid green, (no stripes), seedless watermelons...SWEETEST watermelon I've ever had.

I LOVE watermelon. I consider it one of my 3 favorite "food groups"...pasta, chocolate, watermelon. 😉🍉🍝🍫

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

Teddie — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:31:57 GMT

Love watermelon. Too bad the season is so short.

My first daughter was born in October and I craved watermelon and ate a lot of it during that summer.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

Carmie — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:33:26 GMT

This is how I choose too, but I still knock. If it sounds too hollow, I pass. They can be overripe and grainy. I pick out one with a yellow belly that thumps.

The watermelons this year have been delicious.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

itsmagic — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:34:38 GMT

Thanks for the tip. I hadn’t heard of that before. Knocking on it and pushing in the stem doesn’t always work for me.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

amyb — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:35:18 GMT

@Teddie wrote:
Love watermelon. Too bad the season is so short.

My first daughter was born in October and I craved watermelon and ate a lot of it during that summer.

So funny you said this. I truly believe it's why I absolutely love it (season IS much too short, I'm sad when it comes to an end)...anyway...I was born in July, following a heat wave where mom said ALL she ate all week was watermelon! Got into my bloodstream and DNA, I'm convinced! 😂🍉

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

Teddie — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:37:23 GMT

@amyb wrote:
@Teddie wrote:
Love watermelon. Too bad the season is so short.

My first daughter was born in October and I craved watermelon and ate a lot of it during that summer.
So funny you said this. I truly believe it's why I absolutely love it (season IS much too short, I'm sad when it comes to an end)...anyway...I was born in July, following a heat wave where mom said ALL she ate all week was watermelon! Got into my bloodstream and DNA, I'm convinced! 😂🍉

So cute, @amyb ! Love that! 🙂

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

chickenbutt — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:37:40 GMT

I've heard that. I also love watermelon.

What I do that has worked out pretty well over the years is not the knocking thing but a full open-hand thing. It's hard to explain, but I hit the watermelon (not hard!) with an open, sort of cupped, hand. If it's a good one it will make a sort of hollow sound. If not it just goes *thud*.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

just bee — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:41:38 GMT

When I was ten years old we moved from Chicago to Prescott, Arizona. I was standing in front of an enormous bin of melons when an older gentleman approached and asked me if I knew how to choose a good melon.

Well, if I did I wouldn't have been standing there for so long.

He explained that most people don't want a melon with marks on it. But those marks mean that insects have been gnawing on the rind. Insects know their melons.

Don't know if any of this is true, but whenever I look at melons I think about his advice and choose the melon that a bug would have chosen.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

patbz — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:49:19 GMT

A friend recently posted that the stripes on the melon should be the width of 2 fingers apart. We used that and had very good melons this year.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

HonestLife — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 21:00:55 GMT

@wismiss @I heard this tip a couple of years ago. Since I started using it, I've never had a bad watermelon 🍉! I consider myself a bit of a melon snob, I love them all! I even tried my hand at making Watermelon Cupcakes with Watermelon Lime Cream Cheese Frosting. Dare I say Bliss!

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

godi — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 21:08:40 GMT

A farmer told me that years ago. I always buy them that way.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

Qgirl26 — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 21:35:26 GMT

@Teddie wrote:
Love watermelon. Too bad the season is so short.

My first daughter was born in October and I craved watermelon and ate a lot of it during that summer.

@Teddie, I could have written this myself. My first daughter was born in October 1984 and I craved watermelon the entire pregnancy. She was born 3 weeks early and my mom said it was because she was hungry and wanted to come out to get something real to eat. I went home in smaller jeans than I wore before I was pregnant. Now if only that had happened the next two times.

I never could figure out how to test watermelon so I will try to keep this in mind for the future. Love it!

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

Duckncover — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 21:44:50 GMT

Have never had trouble picking out a good watermelon...until last week. Cut it open, took one look, and into the garbage it went. It was white inside and hard...but the outside looked fine, big yellow spot and everything.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

Kachina624 — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 21:46:05 GMT

My dad always picked really good ones. He'd thump HARD with is thumb and forefinger and listened for just the right sound. I never could thump hard enough. It hurt.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

Teddie — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 21:53:19 GMT

@Qgirl26 wrote:
@Teddie wrote:
Love watermelon. Too bad the season is so short.

My first daughter was born in October and I craved watermelon and ate a lot of it during that summer.
@Teddie, I could have written this myself. My first daughter was born in October 1984 and I craved watermelon the entire pregnancy. She was born 3 weeks early and my mom said it was because she was hungry and wanted to come out to get something real to eat. I went home in smaller jeans than I wore before I was pregnant. Now if only that had happened the next two times.

I never could figure out how to test watermelon so I will try to keep this in mind for the future. Love it!

@Qgirl26 Oh wow, our daughters are close then. Mine was born in 1985. And funny what moms say!

Time to get another watermelon. We cut ours up and put in large bowls so it’s ready in the fridge.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

Katcat1 — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 21:53:56 GMT

@wismiss Thank you for posting. I wonder how you can tell a "mini" watermelon is ripe? Do you know? As a single person I do not need a whole, large watermelon.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

Qgirl26 — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 21:56:10 GMT

@Teddie wrote:
@Qgirl26 wrote:
@Teddie wrote:
Love watermelon. Too bad the season is so short.

My first daughter was born in October and I craved watermelon and ate a lot of it during that summer.
@Teddie, I could have written this myself. My first daughter was born in October 1984 and I craved watermelon the entire pregnancy. She was born 3 weeks early and my mom said it was because she was hungry and wanted to come out to get something real to eat. I went home in smaller jeans than I wore before I was pregnant. Now if only that had happened the next two times.

I never could figure out how to test watermelon so I will try to keep this in mind for the future. Love it!
@Qgirl26 Oh wow, our daughters are close then. Mine was born in 1985. And funny what moms say!

Time to get another watermelon. We cut ours up and put in large bowls so it’s ready in the fridge.

@Teddie, I do the same. Wish I had some now. I just finished one off yesterday.

Re: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

SloopJohnB — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 21:56:35 GMT

I have grown my own and they are always sweet and juicy. But when buying them, I always thump my melons. 🍉🍉