Tapping, feeling and comparing are actually good measures to get the quality and ripeness of a melon without cutting it. The effort made before each purchase is justified because unripe watermelons would simply be watery and tasteless. Especially since an entire watermelon is often several kilograms in weight, which not only has to be paid for but also to be carried home. The thick skin of a watermelon makes up about 40 percent of its weight.
But How to Pick a Watermelon?
Let’s clear a popular misconception before we proceed. Watermelon is a fruit of the pumpkin family, which is associated with vegetables and not fruits. Before knocking, feeling or comparing and implying the Ninja technique you learn today about How to pick a watermelon, you should carefully select the watermelons to be shortlisted. It should be well-shaped with undamaged skin.
Field Stains
Particular attention should be paid to field stains and other marks on watermelon. Field stains tell you whether the melon was harvested too early or at the right time. The more yellow the field spot, the more mature the watermelon is. It is because if the watermelon spends more time in the field the more yellow it becomes and gets enough time to ripen. If the look is still green and juicy, the melon was harvested too early.
Knock Test
With the knock test, an experienced ear can assess the degree of ripeness of a watermelon. The fresh melon has a firmer flesh and you can hear that. Ripe watermelons sound fuller and heavier than unripe specimens. On the other hand, a rather dull tone can be heard with watermelons that are not ripe. To be able to make out the difference, you naturally have to knock on several melons, ideally while holding them individually in your arms.
Weight
Once you have the melon in your arms, you should consciously notice its weight and compare it with other specimens of approximately the same size. The heavier and denser a watermelon is, the more ripe and the sweeter it is. If, on the other hand, the melon has noticeably soft spots, then it is overripe and a sign for you to stay away.
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Well, now you know How to Pick a Watermelon. If the tapping and weighing procedure is too complex, you can simply buy a suitable piece of watermelon after asking your fruit dealer for a sample.