How to Pick the Perfect Watermelon

I’m sure you’ve seen people strolling the produce aisle, thumping, sniffing, squishing their produce all in an attempt to pick the perfect melon. Some of that nonsense is in vain, but some of it will help you on your way to the sweetest, juiciest melon you’ve ever tasted!

Symmetrical Matters: Look for a perfectly round melon. Okay, so I’ve never found a perfectly round one, but look for the closest thing to a symmetrical melon you can find. That means it’s been given balanced sun. A lopsided watermelon will have underdeveloped seeds, which means less sugar and less flavor.

The Sweet Spot: That yellow spot, or “ground spot” as it’s often called, matters. Look for one the color of butter. Do not buy a watermelon without that yellow spot or with a white or green spot. The watermelon gets that spot when it sits and ripens. So the longer it sits to ripen, the larger the spots, the sweeter your watermelon! Watermelon lacking that spot have been picked too soon!

Color Clues: Look for a watermelon that is dark green in color, and has a dull sheen to it. A shiny appearance indicates an under ripe melon.

The Uglier the Better: Speaking of that yellow spot, find the one that looks like it was invaded by little brown lines and swirls. Might not look pretty, but the more lines, the more the melon was pollinated {bees are responsible for those lines!} and the sweeter your fruit will be.

Seeing Dots: If you see black dots {especially around the stem}, don’t set the melon down. That is the sugar seeping out. And if you have a melon so sweet the sugar is trying to escape, you know you’ve found a good one!

Pick It Up: Lift that baby up and then lift melons of similar size as well. The heaviest melon for its size is best.  The ripest watermelons have the most water, and so it goes without saying they would be the heaviest.

Knock It Off: Some people say you should knock on your watermelon; a ripe melon should produce a hollow sound. A dull thud would indicate an under ripe melon. This has never worked for me. It’s so hard to tell the sound it’s making, so I ignore this step, use the others and always find the perfect melon!

And there you have my fail-proof method to choosing the most delicious watermelon EVER!

Now that you’ve picked the perfect melon, here are some delicious recipes to use that melon in:

Watermelon Vitamin Water – Takes boring ol water up a notch. Yum!  {Pin it for Later}

Watermelon, Feta, and Red Onion Salad – I know this sounds like a weird combo, but trust me, it is delightful.  Like summer in your mouth, people.  {Pin it for Later}

Dehydrated Watermelon – This is also known as Watermelon Candy, because it’s just as good {better if you ask me} than a big ol Snickers bar. {Pin it for Later}