How To Pick The Perfect Watermelon For The Juiciest Results Every Time

On a scorching summer day, nothing hits the spot quite like a cool, crisp slice of watermelon. The delicate sweetness and juicy pink flesh are a perfect celebration of the season. Given what a delight they can be, it's disappointing when a melon comes up short. Lugging that hefty fruit out to the picnic, only to discover that inside it's bland and mealy, is a real letdown. That's probably why there are so many tips out there for picking the perfect watermelon. If you want to be sure that your decision doesn't disappoint, though, the best first step is simply to pick it up.

When it comes to selecting the juiciest watermelon, there are a few factors to consider. Start by simply weighing the fruits against one another. You should always lift a watermelon before buying it, as well as a few others besides, so that you can get a rough idea of which one is the heaviest. Watermelons are almost entirely water — upwards of 90% — so whichever melon has the most heft to it is also going to be the juiciest choice.

Of course, weight alone will not give you all the data that you need. The figure that really matters is the weight relative to the size. If you pick up two watermelons that are just about equal in volume, and one is noticeably heavier, you can trust that one to be the juicier fruit. Juiciness is just one factor in your watermelon selection, though, and there are a few other characteristics worth considering before you settle on your ideal melon.

The tactile senses are helpful here, with weight being one major indicator of watermelon quality. That said, you should also check the firmness of a watermelon before putting it in the cart. Anything other than a nice, firm rind, and you will not be happy when you slice through that melon. Switching gears a bit, there are some important visual cues to look for as well, perhaps even before you start hefting watermelons and testing their rinds.

The two-finger watermelon rule is a classic method by which you can judge the quality of a melon using just, well, your fingers. If the green stripes are as wide as two of your fingers, that melon is ready for the plate, as the maxim goes. While you're looking, don't forget to also check the watermelon for a yellow field spot, a telltale sign that the fruit was allowed enough time to properly ripen on the vine before harvesting.

This next technique may take a bit of practice to master, but to an experienced ear the tapping technique for watermelon selection is like looking right past the rind to the inside of the fruit. Giving the melon a slap, you should hear a nice hollow sound almost like a drum, an indicator that the melon is ripe and crisp. If the sound is higher pitched, it could indicate an unripe fruit, whereas if it gives more of a thud, that melon is likely overripe and mealy. Smell and taste won't factor into the melon experience until later, but between these other senses, you should be ready to pick a perfect watermelon.