How to Cut Watermelon

What Is a Watermelon?

Watermelons grow on a vine-like flowering plant much like their cousins the tomato and pumpkin plants.

The exterior, or rind, is made up of a bright and dark-green skin with a white portion directly underneath.  While it is technically edible, the watermelon rind is a little tart and often discarded.  (Don’t like waste?  Use them up in this Watermelon Rind Pickles recipe.)

The interior, or the flesh, of the watermelon is full of a sweet and somewhat watery juice.  It can be eaten on its own, added to a Watermelon Feta Salad or even puréed into a Watermelon Frose.

Watermelons come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and varieties.  From the larger picnic to the personal-sized icebox, with seeds or seedless, the traditional color or even yellow and orange — there’s a watermelon type for everyone!

How to Cut a Watermelon

There are two different methods you can use to cut your watermelon. This first way is best for cutting it into sticks or cubes.

For both methods you’ll want to use a large cutting board with a groove to catch any of the excess juices from running onto your kitchen floor.

1. Cut the Ends

Place the watermelon with one of the ends cut-side down on the board. 

2. Remove the Skin

Insert your knife where the white part of the rind meets the pink flesh. Cut at an angle away from the center of the fruit to remove the rind.  Follow the curvature of the melon until you reach the opposite end. Repeat this process all of the way around the watermelon until only a ball of watermelon flesh is left.

3. Remove White Parts

These white parts aren’t sweet, so remove any remaining from the fruit by cutting it off with your knife.

4. Cut Into Cubes

Cut the watermelon ball in half lengthwise.

Put one of the halves cut-side down on the cutting board and make vertical cuts approximately 1-inch apart. Turn the watermelon pieces and make perpendicular cuts 1-inch apart.

Place all of the sticks together and cut the melon into 1-inch cubes.

5. Cut Into Wedges

Cut and remove both ends of the watermelon.

Place the watermelon cut-side down and cut in half lengthwise.

Put the watermelon halves cut-side down on the cutting board and cut in half lengthwise again to get 4 quarters.

With one of the quarters flat-side down, make cuts about ½-inch to 1-inch apart for watermelon wedges. (You can also cut from the flesh to the rind if this is easier for you.). Repeat this step with the remaining quarters.

Selecting a Watermelon

When you’re picking which watermelon to take home with you, there are a few key features you’ll want to look for to ensure the juiciest, most ripe and flavorful melon is selected.

1. Symmetry is key.  A round and pretty symmetrical watermelon is best since it means it was watered evenly throughout its growth process.  Melons that have odd lumps or are bigger on one side versus the other may have experienced seasons of drought and/or times of overwatering.
2. Pick it up. As soon as you pick up the melon you want it to almost shock you by how heavy it is.  This means the interior of the fruit is extremely dense with juice and extremely flavorful.
3. Look for the ground spot.  Upon first glance, you may initially want to go with the really pretty, unblemished melon.  But don’t let them fool you.  The watermelons with a big bright yellow ground spot (or belly spot) are the best and most ripe ones.  This spot means they sat on the ground and were allowed to ripen naturally before being picked from the vine.
4. Give it a tap.  Ripe watermelons will have a deep, hollow sound when tapped.  If the melon is not yet ripe, it will sound a little flat and dull when tapped.  (Like a zucchini or squash does.)

There are also a few more tips about how to pick a good watermelon that you might want to know!

FAQs

Watermelon Recipes

While this delightful fruit makes a delicious snack or dessert on its’ own, here are a few ways you can use it in some healthy recipes:

• Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint
• Watermelon Tequila Fizz
• Watermelon Frosé