Easy way to cut watermelon: Social Butterfly columnist shares simple steps with video

Hooray, it's watermelon season. How were you taught to pick the best one? My mother is a thumper. Are you? To find a ripe one, she places her ear close to the rind, flicks it with her middle finger, and listens for a hollow sound. Some thumpers opt to use their fist.

She'll thump numerous melons until her taste buds and ears agree on the perfect sounding thump. If it's like a knock on a door, that's the one she lugs home. According to the wise one, if the thump produces a higher-pitched noise, the watermelon is underripe and a lower-pitched sound means it is overripe. Will you become a thumper?

Once upon a time, I was a thumper. I must be thumper-challenged because that technique hardly ever worked for me. After watching numerous TikTok videos, I took other TikTokers' watermelon selection suggestions to the market. I seek out a seedless watermelon that seems heavy for its size with a deep, yellow spot like the color of butter. The larger the spot, the sweeter the melon. So far, this non-thumping theory has proved to be worthy advice five times in a row. They have been ripe, sweet and full of flavor.

Tupperware: Watermelon parties

During my stay-at-home mom days, I sold Tupperware to earn extra bucks. Hosts and guests loved the watermelon-themed party where I demonstrated how to cut one. It's a sticky task but simple.

How to cut a watermelon: Social Butterfly keeps it simple

After you use soap and water to wash the dirt and possible microorganism hitchhikers off of the rind, gather the following items: a cutting board, paper towels, a plastic bag, a double-lined trash can, a large container with a colander insert and a long, sharp, knife. I prefer a serrated knife because its teeth hold the melon steady while I cut it. Are you ready to give it a go? If so, follow these simple steps:

• Place paper towels beneath cutting board to keep juice from dripping on floor/ground

• Cover cutting board with plastic bag to help a wee bit with clean up

• Place paper towels on the cutting board to soak up juice [Note: they may need replaced during cutting process, if melon is extra juicy]

• Cut both ends off, toss in double-lined trash can [Rinds are heavy]

• Very carefully, slice clean, dry watermelon in half widthwise [Poke hole in melon with tip of knife to give teeth something to grab on to] Set one half aside to cut after the first one.

• Place half, cut side down. From top to bottom, slice rind off down to the pink. [Toss rind slices away each time to keep workspace decluttered] Continue around until all rind has been removed.

• Flip half over, carve remaining white rind, toss pieces in trash

• Cut watermelon one slice at a time to desired thickness. Whatever your heart desires... cut slices into sticks or cubes.

• Place into container with colander insert [Keeps melon from getting soggy]

• Cover with lid/plastic wrap/foil, refrigerate, eat when ice-cold

• Clean area pronto to prevent insects from feasting

Watermelon: Fun facts

• Flesh of watermelon may be pink, yellow, orange or white.

• National Watermelon Day is on August 3.

• Watermelons, in the cucumber family, are an awesome snack during summer heat waves. Since they're over 90% water, they'll keep you hydrated.

• The interior, seeds and rind of watermelons are all edible.

• Currently, according to guinessworldrecords.com, Chris Kent of Sevierville, Tennessee has grown the heaviest watermelon on record. The 350.5-pound watermelon was verified by the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth on October 4, 2013. It was more than 15 times heavier than the average watermelon and 42.5 pounds heavier than the previous record.

• Watermelon, a fruit, is native to Africa.

Read this story at progress-index.com to view my "How to Cut a Watermelon" video. Bon appétit!

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Kristi K. Higgins aka The Social Butterfly, an award-winning columnist, is the trending topics and food Q&A reporter at The Progress-Index voted the 2022 Tri-Cities Best of the Best Social Media Personality. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Contact Kristi (she, her) at [email protected], follow @KHiggins_PI on X and @socialbutterflykristi on Instagram.

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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: How to cut a watermelon: Columnist shares simple steps with video