How To Tell If Watermelon is Ripe

How To Tell If Watermelon is Ripe

The only true test of knowing what a watermelon looks like is cutting into its flesh. That’s why so many of us are spending so much time standing in the produce section of our local mega-mart with a perplexed look on our faces and scratching our heads because it can be such a gamble to pick the perfect melon. This method isn’t endorsed by the scientific community or the food police.

However, it will help you to pick a ripe watermelon every time.

There are a few ways to tell if a watermelon is ripe and it starts with its shape. First, you want a watermelon that has a more uniform shape to it and that has a dull or a matte sheen to it.  Why, might you ask? Well, it has to deal with the amount of water and sun that the melon had received during its growing life. The amount of water and adequate sun is essential to its quality.

You can trump the thump test

The Thump Test

This is performed when you knock on the rind of the melon to hear what sound it makes. This in our minds is an imperfect science for picking a watermelon, but it does have some logic it.

The imperfect science is you and I. You see, it’s up to you or me on what makes a perfect sound. We are left to judge on your own what the water content is, and if a hollow sound is a good sound when you tap your fingers on that melon. The thud means that the melon hasn’t reached full ripeness. But the question remains: did you hear a deep thud or a slight thud? And you don’t see produce guys at said mega-mart sitting next to the watermelon pit walking customers through the ‘Thump Test” do you?

A Better Way to Tell if a Watermelon is Ripe:

We have come to rely upon the tell-tale sign of a watermelon’s yellow patch to help us pick a perfect watermelon. You see, that creamy yellow patch is where the melon sat on the ground ripening in the sun. Farmers call this “The Field Spot”. The yellow skin is actually the loss of chlorophyll. The more creamy the spot, the better.

If your watermelon still retains the stem it likely was picked early. We recommend giving the watermelon time to “fall off the vine”. Those melons that do not have their stem are more likely to be ripe and yield you the perfect melon.

So now it’s time for you to venture out to the local mega-mart and pick up a watermelon that has a uniform shape,  a dull sheen with a smooth feel, has a yellow spot, and doesn’t have a stem.  Be confident and enjoy!

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