How to pick a sweet and juicy watermelon | 3 things to look for | How to cut watermelon into cubes
In this video I will show you the three things to look for when choosing a sweet, ripe and juicy watermelon at the grocery store. I will also show you how to cut a watermelon into cubes.
The three things you have to look for in a good watermelon are:
1. A nice, yellow belly.
2. A brown belly-button.
3. When you tap it, it should sound like tapping a bucket full of water.
And you should also press on the watermelon. It should be very firm and hard. If it's soft at all, don't buy it.
Here are some good watermelon-cutting knives:
1. BEST - amzn.to/3BLi7lr
2. BETTER - amzn.to/45d1e0I
3. GOOD - amzn.to/3MGiHHJ
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my father sold watermelons on the corner in Hawthorne California on the weekends during the week he worked at the aircraft and he always told me to Pat him with your palm and it sounded Hollow that was sweet and it always came true even as I got older I always did that your other hints are good too thank you this was in 1950s I'm 89 years old now and I still Pat the watermelons
Thanks for the story and thanks for watching!
Those sweet memories never fade away. My Dad taught us the same and the dearest memory to me with him was when he took me and my sister out for a walk on first days of Spring and we stopped at some showy wildflowers swaying and glowing under the blazing sunlight and told us to smell them. I was probably only 5 then and it was my very first time learning to sniff flowers and know that flowers are fragrant! 😅 That chamomile-like sweet fragrance I filled my lungs with stuck in my head up to this date and I’m 50. Sometimes I get early whiffs of it in the air on last days of winter and I’d grin whispering ‘Spring’s here alright!’.
Are on Gage and Normandie. Come on down for the best🎉
What is a hollow sound
I grew up in Lakewood California and was in that area a lot. I’m 63.
I knew about the yellow spot, but this summer I'll also be looking for the brown belly button!
Weight to size is more important than his tapping. If it’s lighter than expected, your melon hasn’t developed the sugars yet. Super heavy and she’s full of those crystal molecules
I love this video...not only have I learnt to pick a nice ripe WATERMELON...but I have also learnt how to cut it properly 👍👌😋
Me tooooo learnt😊
Thank you so much for the tips….can you share when is the best time to buy a watermelon and the different types of melon. I live in FL and the the watermelon sold at Publix was the worst tasting melon.
From what I know, the thing he calls "rind", the pale part just below the skin, is edible too; juicy crunchy, but not sweet. I have wondered about the seed shells though.
Wasteful way to cut.
Finally....I now know how to pick out a GOOD watermelon. Thank you.
My biggest takeaway was the BELLY BUTTON!! That's what I've been missing! Thank you so much. Keep up your videos!
I am 61 years old and have been buying watermelons since I was 13 or 14 years old and have never known these facts, but you have solved this problem by mentioning them; so, thank you so much. From now on, I can have a red and sweet fruit to enjoy!
@Lewis Levits I just came back after buying 3 watermelons 🍉, and cut the first one and found it perfect!
@@lewislevits1193 That's where the melon rested...lol.
@Lewis Levits No. As mentioned in earlier Blogs here, it's where the melon was laying on the ground.... (NO sunlight).
Great video. I would like to add to the tapping part. Hold the watermelon in one hand and tap with the other. You should feel the vibrations go through the watermelon to your other hand. If not, it's probably mushy inside, and most likely over ripe.
🍉🍉🍉 mmm yummy. Good on you Christian 👍
You are definitely an experienced housewife or a good farmer.
Same here... I hold the watermelon in my hand and thump it with my fingers on the under side, then listen close to the top of it. You can definitely hear if it's dense - no 'echo' My grandfather showed me as a kid, what to hear. 😊
Thank you for the refresher! I forgot the stem detail but remembered the other two. That yellow belly REALLY is an important factor, without it, you're just buying trash. I've been lucky with the tap and yellow belly, the two I got this summer were absolutely perfect! Now I'm wired for perfection every time!
Well explained. Thank you. Now no mistakes while buying watermelons
My Dad was from Mississippi and he always picked the sweetest juiciest watermelons! Great tips!!
Hello I live in Mississippi
I LOVE watermelon. I eat a whole watermelon a week in the summer months. My kids say I have a problem and should seek help. I say, as long as there is watermelon, I don't need any help. This video was very helpful. Thank you. I just subscribed, and will recommend you to friends.
We appreciate your support!
Also heard that you can look at how close the rind lines are at the end of each 🍉 watermelon. The closer and the more lines =ripe. I average 9 out 10. Something doesn't always work because it's hard to tell when there's a water or crack in the middle of a watermelon. Juice the pieces that you cut off by cutting off the green and blending it very quickly and you get a light pink juice that's Amazing. Yes white rhind with the ♥️ red.
My mouth is watering just watching him. Can’t wait for watermelon season. Thank you sooo much
The sunspot (yellow spot) shows that the melon was left on the ground longer to ripen naturally.❤
Watermelon doesn't ripen any further once picked, so carefully choosing a good melon is a great talent to have. Don't forget the webbing. That's a sign of a melon that has bern fertilized twice, or more, and has then doubled its sugar content. I've had some that were so sweet, it was like candy. Look it up. It's true. Put "webbing on watermelons" on Google, and you'll see.
THANKS. I was wondering about that
It silmply means that it is the part that was on the ground when it was growing.
very very true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@mr.stonerUDX714 , One of my best friends in the ARMY had the last name Stoner. Great guy with a great wife, and daughter. Imagine that name on your BDU's as they call out names. "Stoner....Stoner......is there a Stoner here?
WELL DONE! Thank you for explaining this process. I've always wondered how to pick the best watermelon!
Still learning new things at 83!!!! Thank you.
Seeing this video brings back memories of my grandmother loving these watermelons, so sweet like taste of sweet honey but in a melon.❤
Thank you for this video. A tip from my grandmother... sprinkle a tiny bit of salt before eating. It brings out the sweetness! Works on sliced apples as well 😊
I have an aunt, who agrees with you. She salts all fruit, but I think it's gross.
@@nonmihiseddeo4181 Salt and lime is the way to go! Yum!
I grew up in Michigan, we always salted watermelon and apples! Yum!
Yes bit of salt ...
hell no , disgusting 😂
Excellent video. I learned a lot about selecting and preparing watermelons (which we love!). Well done.
Excellent video. Please remind people to start with a clean watermelon, board, and knife! Sounds silly, but food contamination is real. Love this video - easy to follow, and ri8ght to the point! From a watermelon lover! Happy summer, everyone!
Excellent video, Christian. Thanks you. My wife loves watermelon but I’ve always avoided buying them because of my poor selections AND my dread of cutting the bulky juicy messy things. Now I can give her firm sweet fruit with full confidence.
Grea6
Jkkkj job
Cut in half. Cut off a round. Cut round in half or quarters. Serve on plate..
She's lucky to have such a caring and helpful husband!
@@bakerferris 😅
Awesome tips,thank you. You should also wash the outside of your watermelon ( or any other fruits or vegetables) when cutting them, because I heard you could contaminate your foods when the knife touches the surface, then enters the fruit/vegetable.
wash with mild soapy water and let rest for an hour in cold icy water bowl.
So many people got sick and several died from salmonella on the outside rind. The knife was the carrier of the germ
Good to know
Yes, and care must be taken when slicing potatoes and your knife goes through one that has dark-colored goo in the center. Or any color goo, for that matter, lol.
Absolutely wash with soapy water, then rinse well in RUNNING WATER. Not a sinkful, bowl, or pan of water. The trucks they are hauled in to the stores can be and frequently are loaded with god knows what from hauling only god knows what. Dirty trucks can contaminate your food. Wash your food as soon as you get it home, and don't put in into your storage spaces until you know it's clean. I know a family who lost their entire faŕm and livelyhood because the hauling trucks were contaminated and the mellons made some people very sick. Stuff happens. Don't be sstupid, nasty and greedy by suing someone when you yourself fail yo adhere to safe food practices. Good old fashioned logic says wash your hands before you eat, for good reason. Wash your food, too.
Thank you for sharing these info. I've heard of the yellow color shade watermelon trick, so I'd pick the ones with yellow shades and it will be and unripe watermelon. In this video you clearly showed us what to pick, comparing ripe to unripe watermelons + what's the yellow color patch, brown belly button and the sound... Learning these valuable info, now I'm excited to go and pick a ripe watermelon!!! Thanks so very much!!! 🍉🌻💛
I love watermelon and will give your tips a try the next time I'm picking one out. Thank you for sharing!
I have never picked a good watermelon yet! So I quit buying them. Maybe now I can pick a good one! Thank you!
Thank you. You made it easy to follow and remember than other videos that mentions veins and straw test, etc... :)
Best tips ever! Thank you. I used to see people digging deep in the wm basket in the market not knowing why. I woul just pick n go only to find a not so nice inside. ❤
Thank you so much for the info on picking the perfect watermelon!
Thanks for the tips. I knew about the tapping tip earlier. which I used to pick the watermelons. Now I got 2 more tips in my checklist.
Great video! Packed full of useful information. Now i have an excuse to go buy one and try out my new watermelon knife!
Gorgeous watermelon 🍉. I’m absolutely addicted to watermelon, I buy 2 at a time, lol. Thank you for the much needed knowledge!
Two thumbs up! All three are good ways of finding a ripe melon. 🍉Here are some additional ones I use to determine when a watermelon is ripe. 1. They have a "waxy" feel to them and the rind scratches easily, unripe ones are slick feeling. 2. They are usually heavy for their size. Sort of like picking up a baby and realizing, "Hey, this kid is heavier than he looks!" 3. If you grow your own, check the small "sticker" that's closest to where the vine enters the melon. It should be nearly dried out before you pick it. 4. I pick up the melon and slap it at the belly. A ripe watermelon makes a "plunk" sound, while a green one makes a higher-pitched "plank" sound. 5. Give the melon a squeeze, if it gives too easily, the melon is overripe and will be mushy inside. It will feel "spongy." Don't buy it, you'll be sorry. 😩
The squeeze technique absolutely works. I buy the ones that have no give when squeezed.
@@peeshrow4681 Yup! 👍🏽👍🏽
Thank you for showing us how to select the right one and cutting in cubes neatly. God bless you.🙏
Thank you so much I have been trying to look for the perfect watermelon 🍉 and now I know what to look for. God bless
This is the best information about how to pick a watermelon. I honestly don’t know how to pick one and next time I go to the store I will try this. I saw a man picking one out last time I was at the store and almost asked him about it but decided not to. I love watermelon. It’s one of my favorite fruits and now I’m excited about trying out this method. Thank you, Christian. I appreciate you for sharing this information.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for your 3 tips. I check them for the yellow spot but the other 2 I have missed. Now it is time to practice.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you . The clearest explanation I have ever heard. Peace, Joy, and Perfect-Health to you and yours.
@Prospermiinow Yes, clear explanation, but inaccurate. It is misinformation. The light-colored spot on the bottom of a watermelon is the 'ground spot." The color varies not only with ripeness, but also with the variety of watermelon. For one variety a rich yellow color will indicate full ripeness, for another variety anything deeper yellow than very pale yellow will indicate the melon is overripe - you'll have mush inside instead of crispness. You have to know what variety you are dealing with, and most of the time the shipping containers will not tell you the variety. Just because 2 melons look very much the same does not mean they are of the same variety. The only way to tell the variety is to get the info from the company that supplied the seed, and that info is not often available at the marketplace. You can ask the merchant, but they are often mistaken. They may just make something up, or they may have been misled by a middle-merchant, or even by a farmer.
This is great. Because I am growing sugar babies. I am checking them daily, so I pick them at the right time. Dispite what the seed pack says. The vine is still just too green. (Nice sharp knife you have there!!)
Love your tip on how to cut up a watermelon.
Oh yes, and thank you so much for that cutting demo-- that was really cool to learn!
This is the way I cut oranges to make ambrosia. ❤ Great video, thank you!
I concur. Some individuals also recommend the melon be more round than oblong and dark, dull green. In my experience a bright yellow spot and brown spot where the melon was attached to the vine are crucial.
Thank you! I needed this tutorial!
Did not know about the brown spot! Thanks!!!
Thank you, it’s always a bit hit and miss for me. Now I know what to look for 😉👍
I knew that, however you explained it best. I look for watermelons with black seeds. Thank You❣️👍🏽
Thanks for the tips! I have always looked at a pile of melons bewildered because I didn't know how to select a good one.
Thanks a lot. I always ended up picking up the wrong one. So happy to pray for you when I will have a nice watermelon.
Thanks for sharing easy to follow tips.
EXCELLENT EXPLANATION AND DEMONSTRATION ON HOW TO PICK . . . I HOPE I HAVE MUCH BETTER LUCK! I AM REALLY AWFUL AT PICKING WATERMELONS! THANK YOU. I LOVE THAT YOU EVEN DEMO'D THE CUTTING TOO!
Awesome job! So excited to go to the grocery store now and get a watermelon.😊
Thank you so much because I have always wanted to know how I can pick a nice sweet red juicy watermelon. I also wanted to know how to cut them in nice juicy cube like chunks. You've solved that for me too as well as cutting off the ends first and then standing it up to cut off the rind. You have helped me so much!!!!
Cheryl let me put your lovely ass in fresh lemonade braids and maternity Prada pajamas 👣👣🛐😘
The sound of the texture as u cut also let’s u know it’s a good watermelon! 👏👏
😂😂😂😂😂 true
LG, yes that's true, but of little help after you've already bought it! I'm in my seventies and when I was young, we only bought watermelons at a roadside watermelon stand. We always made a deep triangle cut in the melon and tasted it. Now the melons we buy are at the grocery store and usually they are picked way too early.
@@AKHWJ3ST or you just suck at picking watermelons
Loved your video. Well spoken well expressed well chosen!!!
Thanks Chris...I can say i did learn about the hollow sound from my spanish friends to choose the right watermelon but the rest of the tips I did not know.,super thanks again!!
Thank you so much for your video . Whenever I buy watermelon it's always hit-and-miss. I knew about the thumping and the yellow spot but not the brown belly button. So now that I know the three things to look for I should get a nice watermelon.
I needed to see this. This was very helpful. Thank you ❤
Love these 3 simple steps. I worked with my grandfather at an open air fruit market in south Sioux City during summer visits. I learned same things about picking out the best fruit. The yellow ones are a good gage. I once saw a yellow light positioned high over some cantaloupe at a big chain grocery. That was cheating! 😂
Wow, that's real Marketing!
Wow! Thank you so much for the how to on watermelon! Much appreciated !
I love the fact that u got one with seeds(organic)👍🏾👍🏾
I would add one more thing; feel around the whole melon for soft spots. Last year, I didn't and it had a big soft spot near the belly button. Of course, when I cut it open, it was spoiled!
I always wash and rinse the outside of my watermelons, before I cut into them,. I already use your method in choosing a watermelon. Thank you.
Thanks ! May God bless you always !
I knew about the patch of yellow and the patting, but I didn't know about the brown belly button! Thanks!
My husband always picked our melons and he always patted them. Not sure about the other tips but they were delicious! Never heard of the stem end being called a belly button. Cute! Thanks for sharing them. I’m keep them in mind!
3D see
Awesome video - Very useful and I can’t wait until my next watermelon purchase
So satisfying to watch !!
Thanks for the video......great info on how to pick a good watermelon!
I've always gone by the yellow field spot, showing where it was on the ground and that it was able to sit long enough to ripen. I have never heard of the brown belly button method. I'll definitely look for that when I buy my next watermelon.
I tried it your way and I loved it!!!! I thought it would waste some of the watermelon but it actually made it better!! Thank you for such a great idea!!!!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for posting! Very informative!
Interesting! Learned a new technique of choosing good and tasty watermelon! Thanks!❤
I wish you would have gone a little further with the thumping thing. Like, do a comparison and thump some bad ones along with the good ones. I always look for the field spot, but I also press around the belly button to be sure it doesn’t give at all. If you feel it give when you press, it’s going to be mealy. I have more problems with mealy melons than under ripe ones, but it’s good to know about the brown belly button thing, too. Thanks!
You should feel a slight vibration when you tap it rather than just a thud.
Great video and just in time for the summer watermelon season, thank you Christian for the kool content. ♥ God Bless †
Thank you for this video! Finally, I know what to look for. 😊
I’ve been picking watermelon wrong for so long. Lol And I was just thinking the food quality was just depleting because everything is modified now. Thank you for the tip. Now I can’t wait to pick my next watermelon.
Have you ever tried a sprinkle of Himalayan salt on it? Brings out the sweetness even more! Great vid. TY!
Yes, my wife loves watermelon with salt on it.
Not healthy with salt, take the nutrients away
A squeeze of lime too. I only read somewhere and wanted to try it but every time I get me a watermelon I just refuse to change the flavor I’m after. 😁🍉
Body you wrong about most only right the yellow spot LOL???????
Thanks for sharing.
You should also include avoiding ones that have second growth. They have one end that is distinctly smaller than the other. They were inconsistently watered, grew once, then not watered for awhile, then watered well again, causing it to grow longer, but not larger around on the end where the second growth happened. Other than that, great job. My mother was an expert watermelon picker and taught me the same things when I was just a little kid.
Hi Rob, well I've never actually seen any of those around here. All the watemelons we get are all perfect and round. I did see that once when we were in a little rural town on a road trip - they were all oddly shaped. Thanks for the tip.
@@FoodChainTV0:52 0:52
Melons that are not uniform or size. Sometimes they favor bowling pens.
Never knew that, thanks for the tip!
I've seen elongated watermelons before that were larger on one end but never knew why. Thanks for sharing this vid and the comments. 👍
Thank you very much for this explanation I did not know, the next time I go to buy a watermelon I will follow these three tips.
Thanks. I had heard about the hollow sound but didn't know about the others. Good information.
Sugar babies are my favorite! I am growing them this year 😊 but I never knew how to pick them😮 I have always gotten lucky and picked the ripe ones🎉 Thank you so much for this video. I have been wanting to know how to do it ❤️ have a blessed summer.
A fourth item to look for. The sugar marks, just make sure they are not scrapes on the outside. Sometimes you’ll even see it turning a little bit black on there, kind of like on the outside of a mango that is oozing, then Little nodules sort of crystallize and turn black sometimes. That is rare, but it’s usually just the sugar marks, without the black sugar and crystals. Note on the “ Sun Spot “ : It is actually the downward side of the melon that rests on the dirt. If it has been left there long enough that bottom section will turn the yellowish color. The bigger and more yellowish the better. Have had Much better luck with the dark green melons that he cut apart, named sugar melon some thing or other. Not had good luck with the alternating light and dark green stripes. And very poor results with the small melons. GREAT video, thanks for the cutting demo. !!
I am puzzled by this, maybe you know the answer.. I bought a melon with the spot as bright as the sun.. a couple days later the spot was gone and it just looks like the rest of the melon.. is that normal??
Bee stings...what you are saying is dead on !
@Dave Jacques I thought they stopped ripening if they are picked.. I was thinking I was tricked 🤣.. I will cut it tomorrow and I thank you for the response..
I use this along with the brown end and yellow spot.
That yellow spot isn’t always the best indicator either. Sometimes if it is too pronounced the melon is overly ripe.
Thank you for the video, Never good enough my watermelon, I don't know what to look but now I know. Thanks
I previously knew about the yellow spot and the hollow sound. The brown belly button was new info and helpful. The last time I picked out a watermelon I used this method and the melon was red, juicy, sweet and delicious! Thank you very much for the information!!!😀
Mouth watering like a Pavlov dog. Thank You!
Also make sure the melon is nice and hard outside. If it’s soft and gives when you squeeze with your fingers it could mean it’s over ripe and mushy inside or it was once frozen during transit. Sometimes the melons are stored poorly during transit or sat at the store too long.
Yep! Seen many of these!
Yes, but I can't imagine a soft exterior could give you that hollow sound. I'm curious now to test that. Thx.
Good to know
Wow, John!-- Thanks for that tip! Because I have had mushy watermelon and it's the worst!😝
Needed this yesterday, bought a watermelon 🍉 and it was horrible 😣
THANK YOU for the GREAT TIPS 💕💕💕
I never had a sugar baby watermelon. That watermelon looks so good! Thank you!
When l was a kid in the 60s, we visited relatives in Tennessee every summer. There was a local grocery chain owner named Cas Walker who did commercials for his watermelons with the slogan "Cas Walker's melons are thumpin good". He guaranteed them to be sweet and juicy and would even let you cut a plug out of one to test it.
Brilliantly done and super helpful! Thank you Christian!
Happy Watermeloning to you too! Thanks for your info and insight 😅
Thank you, thank you, tyhank you. I have been trying to get a ripe watermelon with no luck at all. Can not wait to go shopping for one today. Thank you once again.
Just found out that I have been looking at the wrong bottom when choosing watermelon. I was looking the other one. No wonder it was hit or miss. Also learned how to cut watermelon. Thank you.
Thank you for being a caring husband to her.
After verifing hollow sound, feel around the watermellon to verify that there are no soft spots. Another tip is to check if it weight feels about right if it is under weight it is likely over ripe.
Never heard of it . Never saw any of what you say in 78 years on earth .
lolololololol sounds like you are describing your head that has NO BRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the tips. Only knew out of three. I’ll pass this along.
I can't wait to try out your 3 rules. Thanks.
Thank you I've always wanted to know how to pick a sweet watermelon.. Ty!!!!!
Nice video! I used to breed watermelon. I made tetraploids for the parent lines to produce seedless cultivars. You are absolutely correct with how to tell if the melon is ripe. Few people get it right. Good job!
I’ve also been told that the brown lines, that look like scarring, are from the stings of bees and that helps them to be sweeter. What say you?
@@niahoward1920 Never heard that one, but it sounds good. LOL. There is still an element of luck too.
@@niahoward1920 - No. Bees do not sting unless they feel threatened. When was the last time you saw a melon threaten a bee?
@@blake_lively_matters6553 I was thinking the same thing. Why the heck would a bee end it's life to attack a watermelon? Or even mango or lychee for that matter? Are they all insane?
@@TheOriginalMarimoChan - No, they are not, but they know that there's no apostrophe in its.
As someone who worked watermelon fields many years and broke open thousands of them, the only one of these that is real is what you called the brown belly button. The yellow spot from how it sat in the field means nothing but how it sat in the field. Doesnt affect ripeness in any way. As for the sound they make I tested this extensively. Ive found non ripe ones that made the "right" sound right next to ones that were ripe and didnt make the sound people tell you to look for. Ive met many many people who swear this works while selling them. People REALLY want this one to be true its just not though. As for the brown belly button, it also does not mean the melon is ripe but it does mean its as ripe as the plant was able to make it. That is a sign the vine was dying back and no longer feeding the melon.
The yellow spot shows that the watermelon was sitting in the spot long enough to become yellow and wasn't harvested too early and injected with crap. All the signs(including the brown bellybutton) to prove the watermelon sat long enough and wasn't harvested too soon
@@rafon. None are injected with anything I ever heard of. that said, the yellow spot can be different if the plant was moved, or if the soil is different. Maybe if you know what field it came out of and what the range for that field is you might have a weak data point. getting them from random fields at a store this means next to nothing. Hey you do you though.
@@GrowDespiteTrauma-fh8wz Actually we did sometimes when weeding. The daughter took over the farm and she didnt like using so many chemicals. LOL still though even ignoring that the type of soil it was sitting on makes a huge difference.
So what am I looking for then??
@@268sjh Well the thing they called the brown bellybutton is somewhat of an indicator. Seeing sticky sappy stuff, generally tells you it should be a sweet one. Personally though its like most other fruits. Buy local in season stuff for the best ripest stuff. The melon farmers KNOW they are picking them under ripe. They last longer in shipping. A half decent local farmer isnt going to have that issue and is dramatically more likely to actually pick ripe ones. with water melon in particular, going with a seeded variety will also give you much better results.
Thank you for the advice!
I waited a couple days to get a watermelon so I could watch this first. Will see how it goes. I'd heard about the yellow spot, and knew to tap them, but didn't know how it should sound. I didn't know about the brown 'belly button'. Later in the season we'll see Black Diamond watermelons.. those are the best. Thank you!