Top 6+ Tips for Picking the Perfect Watermelon

Peter Piper may have picked a peck of pickled peppers, but he skimped on sharing advice for picking the perfect watermelon.

Luckily, with the help of a few culinary professionals, we’ve rounded up the top tips for identifying the ripest of summer’s most iconic pinkish red fruit. This will guarantee sweet, crunchy, juicy bites each and every time so that picnics, barbecues and any outdoor get-together will go off without a hitch (at least when it comes to satisfying your taste buds).

Behold, the mighty watermelon. (Iuliia Bondar / Getty Images)

What to look for while shopping for watermelon

Derek Simcick, executive chef of Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, is no stranger to incorporating watermelon into his Rivière Rooftop dishes. That said, he mostly enjoys the fruit in its purest form.

“I grew up with Southern parents, so my go-to is simple: Just a fresh slice with a pinch of salt,” he says. “If you’re feeling adventurous, a little lime zest takes it to another level.”

After years of combing through piles of the green-skinned melon to find the best of the best, here are his biggest takeaways:

• Buy in season: Peak watermelon season is June through August. “If you buy outside of that window, there’s a good chance the fruit will be bland.”
• Check the stem: If your watermelon has one, you’ll want to look for a dried, brown tail. “The smaller it is, the better. This indicates the watermelon was allowed to fully ripen on the vine rather than being picked early and ripening off the stem.”
• Observe the stripes and webbing: Stripes should be bold, distinct and with a strong contrast between dark and light green colors (though not shiny, as that can mean unripe). “Think of a tiger stripe pattern.” Webbing, the brown external patches known as “sugar scars,” is also a sign of a sweet fruit due to successful bee pollination.

Watermelon with distinct stripes and webbing. (Getty Images)

• Locate the field spot: This is the area where the melon rested on the ground during growth. “A deep mustard yellow spot means it ripened in the sun (and is full of flavor). A pale or white spot likely means it didn’t spend enough time on the vine.”

Watermelon with a large yellow field spot, indicating sweetness. (krblokhin / Getty Images)

• Pick it up: Watermelons are mostly water, and a heavier, smaller and more uniform one will usually be a good indicator of ultra-juicy flesh. “The heavier it feels for its size, the juicier it probably is.”
• Perform a slap test: Give the watermelon a gentle tap.” It should sound hollow and have a bit of a bounce to it. If the sound is dull or muted, it may have a thick rind and less vibrant flesh.”

What to look for after cutting a watermelon open

While you can certainly judge a watermelon’s ripeness by its physical appearance, cutting into one will be a dead giveaway.

“The flesh should be a vibrant, consistent red throughout,” advises Simcick. “Avoid melons with pale or white patches inside.”

When sliced open, watermelon should be a vibrant pinkish red. (HUIZENG HU / Getty Images)

The rind between the skin and flesh should also be thin. “A thick rind and uneven coloring are signs the watermelon may be overripe or underripe,” he adds.

Of course, taste and texture trumps everything. A ripe watermelon will be sweet, refreshing and have a subtle tang. An unripe watermelon will lack sweetness and will have a mouthfeel that’s either crisp like a cucumber or, in the case of overripeness, mealy.

How to grow the perfect watermelon

If you fancy yourself a farmer or want to try your hand at growing your own watermelon, the process isn’t as difficult as it may seem.

Though mostly commonly associated with warmer climates, anyone with a green thumb can try their hand if the external conditions cooperate.

“The more space, the better,” advises Elle Armon-Jones, founder of The Big Foody Food Tours in Auckland, New Zealand, from the get-go. “They are a vine, so they spread out and love water.”

Armon-Jones grows watermelon on her own hospitality estate, Vineyard Cottages, for guests to enjoy while visiting the property. Here are her most important growing tips to keep in mind:

• Check the fruit regularly for disease: “This typically looks like a powdery mildew but can be treated after early detection.”
• Space them out: “If the vines are too close together, they can hold too much moisture and ruin the plant.”
• Exercise patience: “They take a long time to grow, anywhere from 80 to 120 days, depending on the variety.”

Watermelons also require 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight each day, regular watering and good drainage to prevent root rot. They’re also extremely sensitive to frost, so it’s important to only grow them during summer months when temperatures are between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to prepare watermelon

While a ripe watermelon tastes A-OK on its own, there are plenty of innovative ways to prepare it. Kyle Street, chef and owner of Curate (a stop on Armon-Jones’ food tour), is a firm believer in using all parts of the watermelon.

A couple of his more creative preparations include a pickled watermelon rind served with a melon-braised octopus skewer with watermelon sweet chili sauce, as well as a watermelon and lime oyster granita that blends the flesh with lime and Chardonnay vinegar.

Should these dishes a little intimidating, consider incorporating watermelon into margaritas, using it in salads or turning it into ice pops. The fruit is as versatile as it is delicious, making it a mealtime staple for only a few coveted months.