How To Cut Watermelon Without The Mess And Enjoy It Faster

In the heart of the summer, when the heat can seem inescapable, there is one fruit that you can always turn to for a taste of relief. Watermelon is the perfect fruit for the season: cool, sweet, and juicy, with every bite seeming to drop the temperature by a few degrees. For ideal enjoyment of this summertime snack, you want to start by picking the juiciest watermelon of the bunch, but how you choose to slice it is nearly as important as the fruit itself. There are many ways to cut a watermelon, from the familiar wedges of childhood to the ornate carvings that may pop up on social media or elegant buffet tables. In terms of maximizing efficiency and minimizing mess, there is one simple technique making the rounds on social media right now. If you want to cut your watermelon into cubes, this method can't be beat.

The first step for this clever melon mincing method is to slice it into quarters. After that, you grab one of the quarters, lay the rind flat on the cutting board, and slice down vertically along the top edge, almost like cutting wedges, but stopping the blade at the rind. These cuts will define the size of your cubes, so space them carefully. Once those are done, turn the wedge to one side and slice horizontally, working your way down from the top, spacing the cuts similarly to the previous vertical cuts. When that's done, flip it around and do the same on the other side. Finally, run the knife along the edge of the rind, separating the fruit, a cut most easily made with a thin, flexible blade like a filet knife.

This watermelon technique might differ from your usual method, but by the time you get to that last quarter, you'll be flying through the cuts — but there is more to it than just speed. Cutting your melon in this style also skips the mess. The juicy part of the fruit never even touches the cutting board, and as soon as you put in that last cut, you can dump the cubes straight into a bowl, completely mess free. The only trouble now is how to store all of this cut watermelon and what to use it for.

The classic watermelon wedge may be the simplest way to serve the fruit, as you can easily grab one and eat it with your hands, but cubes are quite versatile. Laid out on a plate, they can be picked up with a fork or a toothpick — or your hands if you don't mind getting sticky — but they are also perfect for use in recipes like salads and cocktails.

If you are looking for an interesting recipe for the table, consider trying a watermelon salad with vidalia onion vinaigrette or a refreshing watermelon salsa. Both of these recipes play with mixing sweet and savory, taking watermelon in a new direction by pairing it with herbs, alliums, and other vegetables. If the summer heat has you thinking of wetting your whistle instead, these watermelon cubes are ideal for cocktail making. Fresh, the cubes can be used for making a batch of watermelon mojitos, but you can also freeze them first for use in a pitcher of cooling frozen watermelon-ginger margaritas. However you choose to use the melon cubes, this technique will save you time, effort, and cleanup.