July is here, and that means it's officially time to embrace all things summer: fun in the sun, picnics and barbecues, fireworks, and, of course, freshly sliced watermelon. If you love the quintessential summer snack but don't know how to cut a watermelon, read on, because a few simple tips can transform your serving style from messy to master-level. We asked three food and recipe experts to share their best advice on how to cut watermelon perfectly every time, so you can up your game on this revered and refreshing summer bite. Ready to impress? This is the best way to cut watermelon, according to those experts.
RELATED: How to Safely Store Fruit to Keep It Fresh and Tasty.
How to Cut a Watermelon
Shutterstock
If you want your watermelon looking neat as a pin, the experts recommend cutting it into snack-friendly wedges, sticks, or cubes with the rind removed. To try these methods, all you'll need is a sharp chef's knife and a large cutting board with a groove around the perimeter to help collect the watermelon juice. Here's how to do it perfectly every time.
Cut off the base and crown.
Shutterstock
After washing the outside of your watermelon to remove germs and contaminants, begin by slicing both ends off of the watermelon with your sharp knife. Do your best to keep these cuts on the crown and base straight, as the angle will affect your subsequent cuts.
Make curved cuts to remove the rind.
Shutterstock
Next, turn the watermelon onto one of its flat ends and carefully slice the rind off, starting at the top and working your way downward in a curved cut. Remove the entire watermelon rind from the outside of the fruit, so that the fleshy pink center is exposed.
Quarter, slice, and serve.
Shutterstock
With the watermelon still sitting upright on its flattened end, the third step is to divide it in half lengthwise, making a straight cut from top to bottom. Now, lay both halves on the cutting board with the flat center facing downward.
For serving, you can slice this once in half lengthwise (meaning you've cut your melon into quarters), then make even cuts crosswise. This will leave you with rind-free watermelon wedges to serve or snack on.
Alternatively, measure it and cut it into sticks.
Shutterstock
If you prefer sticks or cubes, you can make a few additional cuts. Holding a clean metal ruler lengthwise against your watermelon, measure out one inch segments and cut crosswise until you're left with rows of watermelon semi-circles. Then, turn your ruler and measure out and cut one-inch increments lengthwise, creating watermelon sticks.
Cube your watermelon.
Shutterstock
If you prefer a more polished look, keep going to make watermelon cubes. You can either do this by individually turning each watermelon stick on its side to slice it or—if the melon is small enough—by holding the top of the entire watermelon half together while carefully slicing layers sideways.
RELATED: How to Cut a Pineapple Perfectly Every Time.
How to Tell If a Watermelon Is Ripe
Shutterstock
There are a handful of ways to determine whether or not your watermelon is ripe, even before you cut into it.
Yasmin Henley, founder of the recipe site By The Forkful, recommends feeling the rind for signs that it's ready to eat. "Find the end of the watermelon that is opposite where the stem was attached and press on it firmly with your thumb. An unripe melon will be completely solid in this area, and overripe one will be mushy, and a perfect one will simply bend in a bit," she tells Best Life.
Grace Vallo, the chef and food blogger behind Tastefully Grace, says there are two other simple ways to spot a ripe watermelon at the grocery store or farm stand. First, she says to look for a watermelon that has a large, light orange field spot—this is where the watermelon rested on the ground while growing. The next is to look for a watermelon with a cluster of brown lines, known as webbing. The more webbing present, the sweeter the watermelon should be, she says.
RELATED: 2024's "Dirty Dozen": 12 Fruits and Vegetables With the Most Pesticides.
How to Store Watermelon
Shutterstock
Storing a watermelon properly can help your fruit stay fresher and tastier for longer.
"If you are storing watermelon whole, you can store it at room temperature, in a cool dry place," says Sonia Khosla, founder of the food recipe website Love Incredible Recipes. "Once cut, transfer the watermelon into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to three days."
If you don't expect to eat your watermelon within that time frame, you can also freeze it. Frozen watermelon cubes can make a great addition to a smoothie, sorbet, or gazpacho, but you can also serve them as a refreshing finger food snack on a hot day.
If you expect to eat only half of your watermelon, you can wrap the other, uncut watermelon half in plastic wrap to minimize air exposure.
RELATED: The 10 Best Meal Prep Containers, Nutritionists Say.
Best Things to Serve With Fresh Watermelon
Shutterstock
The experts agree that there are plenty of ways to get creative when serving watermelon—and that serving it alongside contrasting flavors can give your recipes an unexpected punch.
For instance, Khosla recommends a watermelon salad that combines sweet and savory ingredients.
"Watermelon can be served with feta cheese, fresh mint leaves, lemon juice, or lime juice as a salad. Also with cucumber slices, plum, cherry or Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, and a balsamic glaze," says Khosla. Vallo adds that pairing watermelon with salty, savory charcuterie meats like prosciutto can highlight the sweet and refreshing flavor of the fruit.
Of course, you can also go minimal by sprinkling your favorite flavors from your spice rack over your freshly cut fruit. "A squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of tajin, always! Can't beat it!" Henley says, referring to a tangy spice that combines mild chili peppers, lime, and sea salt. "For a twist, watermelon can be paired with chaat masala or roasted cumin powder, lemon juice, and black pepper," Khosla offers.
Conclusion
Whether you serve it on its own, blend it into a refreshing gazpacho, toss it into a savory salad, or add it to your favorite smoothie, there's no shortage of ways to enjoy fresh, juicy watermelon this summer. And, by putting a little extra effort into how you cut and plate it, you can make this simple offering look as good as it tastes. The key to a visually pleasing watermelon spread is to measure your cuts and keep them consistent. That said, a ripe melon served with complimentary flavors may well disappear from the plate before anyone notices any minor mistakes.
Best Life is your source for the best home cooking and food safety advice. Check back for more content to help with prep and storage tips!
