How do you pick a good watermelon? What can you do with watermelon? When are watermelons in season? If this sounds like you staring down watermelon at the supermarket, here’s everything you didn’t know you needed to know about picking the best watermelon!
Lets be honest, we associate juicy watermelon with warm weather, BBQs, and lazy beach days. While it’s true that there is no wrong way to eat a watermelon, there’s no wrong time either. You can buy perfectly ripe, vibrant watermelon twelve months of the year. So when are watermelons in season?
You are viewing: When Is It Watermelon Season
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- When Is Watermelon Season?
- Varieties of Watermelon
- How To Tell If A Watermelon Is Ripe
- How To Cut Watermelon Sticks
- Storage
- Can You Freeze Watermelon?
- How To Use
- FAQs
When Is Watermelon Season?
Watermelon season is between May and September. That’s when production kicks in for the top four watermelon growing states – Florida, Georgia, Texas, and California. The very peak of watermelon season is July and August, that’s when stores are supplied with melons at their best.
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When watermelon season winds down in the U.S., farmers in Mexico are harvesting perfectly ripe watermelon to be delivered to the U.S. so you can enjoy this delicious fruit all year long.
Varieties of Watermelon
There are over 50 different varieties of watermelon, most of which you have probably never seen. All varieties of watermelon share a distinct juicy, sugary flesh encased by a solid rind, but vary in color, shape, and size.
- Seeded: thick green rind, red/pink flesh and black seeds. Available in round, long and oblong sizes, this variety weighs in at 15 to 45 pounds
- Seedless: the majority of the watermelons are seedless. These are hybrids and not totally seedless! You’ll still find softer, white seeds instead of the nostalgic black seeds we spit out as kids.
- Mini: are, you guessed it, small and quite possibly the cutest of watermelons. They are petite, easy to handle and range anywhere between 1 and 7 pounds.
- Yellow: these lack lycopene, a chemical compound that gives traditional watermelon it’s red color. These can sometimes be sweeter than red watermelon, are round in shape and weigh 10 to 30 pounds.
How To Tell If A Watermelon Is Ripe
Just because it’s a good time to buy watermelon doesn’t mean it’s impossible to bring home a dud. An overripe watermelon is mealy while an underripe one tastes watery. But don’t worry, we’ve all been there!
Thing is, you don’t truly know what you’re dealing with until you cut into it. But you will increase your chances of picking a primo watermelon by remembering the Three S’s: skin, size, spot.
- Skin: look over the watermelon. The skin should be firm, shiny, and free of bruises, cuts or dents.
- Size: since it’s 92% water, a ripe watermelon should be heavy for its size.
- Spot: make sure it has a creamy, yellow spot on its underside. This is where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun. No spot? Put it back, not ripe.
How To Cut Watermelon Sticks
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There are many different ways to cut watermelon, but turning them into sticks is by far my favorite! They are so easy to make and perfect for sharing and snacking. By leaving the watermelon intact you get these cute little handles so there’s no mess.
- Start by cutting your watermelon in half.
- Place flat side down and slice, working from one side to the other, make cuts about 2 inches apart.
- Turn the melon halfway and start cutting the opposite direction, making cube-sized shapes.
Storage
A whole watermelon that hasn’t been sliced will last at room temperature for a few weeks. Once cut, watermelon will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
Can You Freeze Watermelon?
Watermelon isn’t the best candidate for freezing. It can be done, but the results are never very satisfying. When frozen watermelon thaws, it gets soggy and won’t taste nearly as good as the fresh stuff. If you’re going to freeze it, cut into chunks, freeze on a piece of parchment paper, and transfer to an air-tight container when completely frozen. Frozen watermelon is best for things like smoothies, watermelon ice cream, or in place of ice cubes.
How To Use
Watermelon is delicious on its own, but equally refreshing in a fruit salad, salsas, drinks, or on skewers with cheese. Another odd, yet satisfying, way to use watermelon? Chili Lime Watermelon Sticks with Greek yogurt dip!
FAQs
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