How to pick a sweet and juicy watermelon | 3 things to look for | How to cut watermelon into cubes

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  • Опубліковано 24 гру 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 2,3 тис.

  • @staylor3539
    @staylor3539 2 роки тому +233

    My biggest takeaway was the BELLY BUTTON!! That's what I've been missing! Thank you so much. Keep up your videos!

    • @markweaver4424
      @markweaver4424 6 місяців тому +4

      I agree with you. The other two I knew about, especially the hollow sound. Instead of patting it, I was taught to thump it for the sound. It’s time to go and get me a watermelon.

    • @maryhall1181
      @maryhall1181 6 місяців тому +2

      me too!

    • @anonimous2451
      @anonimous2451 6 місяців тому +2

      @@markweaver4424 I was just thinking that exact thing.

    • @Tralfaz190
      @Tralfaz190 14 днів тому

      If I had a juicy watermelon 🍉 I don't think I would have the patience to do all that carving. Bust it open & commence feasting upon that beautiful watermelon 🍉!😅😊

  • @touringthecitywalking9209
    @touringthecitywalking9209 Рік тому +143

    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!

    • @touringthecitywalking9209
      @touringthecitywalking9209 Рік тому +8

      @Lewis Levits I just came back after buying 3 watermelons 🍉, and cut the first one and found it perfect!

    • @wopalongcassidy
      @wopalongcassidy Рік тому +9

      @lewislevits1193 That's where the melon rested...lol.

    • @martinjcamp
      @martinjcamp Рік тому +3

      @Lewis Levits No. As mentioned in earlier Blogs here, it's where the melon was laying on the ground.... (NO sunlight).

    • @rhyno8644
      @rhyno8644 7 місяців тому +6

      THIS DUDE IS COMPLETELY WRONG. I used to pick up watermelons by the truck load at the biggest watermelon farm in America. These are the actual steps the owner taught me to look for depending on what use you have for the watermelon. If all you want is the sweetest watermelon.
      1. There are males and females. The females are typically smaller rounder and sweeter. Disfigured spheres refer to a lack of nutrients (less sweet)
      2.This one is actually two part.
      The palm should be a yellow preferably with over pollinated lines on it.
      A palm that's too dark of a yellow will be grainy with a much thinner rhine as it is over ripe.
      A palm that's too light means the fruit texture will be rubbery sour as it is under ripe.
      3. Your looking for a deep healthy green color.
      4. The button on the root button should be brown not black and brittle to your fingers.

  • @stlrepper711
    @stlrepper711 Рік тому +15

    I love the fact that u got one with seeds(organic)👍🏾👍🏾

    • @raymondheflin-jr1ls
      @raymondheflin-jr1ls 16 днів тому

      You do know without seeds is organic as well. They don't make watermelons in labs that are seedless It's literally a grown watermelon off the vine outside I just used two males to make my sealless watermelons at home sorry to grow my seedless watermelons At home

    • @RiskyDramaUploads
      @RiskyDramaUploads 13 днів тому

      Do you eat organic bananas with seeds as well

  • @sharonqaranivalu5152
    @sharonqaranivalu5152 7 місяців тому +157

    I'm 74 and apparently, I waited my whole life to just find this out. Now with summer upon us, I'm ready to go picking. Thx young man I appreciate the advice and will share it with my daughter-in-law.

  • @redbay8527
    @redbay8527 Рік тому +45

    Finally....I now know how to pick out a GOOD watermelon. Thank you.

    • @melburr6750
      @melburr6750 7 місяців тому +4

      Look for webbing as well

    • @Lyfs-Awsumm
      @Lyfs-Awsumm 7 місяців тому +1

      YES!!!!! THIS WAS SOOO WELL WORTH THE TIME!!❤

  • @jlpack62
    @jlpack62 Рік тому +266

    I knew about the yellow spot, but this summer I'll also be looking for the brown belly button!

    • @Todd_Kobell
      @Todd_Kobell Рік тому +14

      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

    • @patriciaoreilly8907
      @patriciaoreilly8907 7 місяців тому +3

      And the hollow tapping sound lol 😂😂😂😂

    • @louisecompton8732
      @louisecompton8732 7 місяців тому +4

      ​The yellow spot and the hollow sound at tapping is how I have picked watermelons for years. Now I will also look for the brown belly button. I've looked at the stem to make sure it wasn't green but didn't know about the belly button. ❤

    • @muffpoundah
      @muffpoundah 5 місяців тому +1

      @@Todd_Kobell it's 92% water....

  • @tatiannazutania7751
    @tatiannazutania7751 Рік тому +59

    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.

    • @FoodChainTV
      @FoodChainTV  Рік тому +5

      We appreciate your support!

    • @tammyrenee64
      @tammyrenee64 7 місяців тому +3

      Me too, love my watermelon 🫶✌️

    • @ritaammons639
      @ritaammons639 7 місяців тому +4

      I eat one a week too. ❤

    • @MsMarple
      @MsMarple 7 місяців тому +6

      Watermelon is actually very good for you! A doc once cured my grandmother of stones by putting her on a 3-day watermelon-only diet! Very cleansing and hydrating,

    • @percyhawkins716
      @percyhawkins716 7 місяців тому +1

      @@MsMarple
      What kind of stones?

  • @LavernLee-zz5ln
    @LavernLee-zz5ln 7 місяців тому +102

    After all these years guessing how to pick a watermelon.. your excellent video came just in time for the watermelon season. Tnx!

  • @mountaingirl3322
    @mountaingirl3322 6 місяців тому +49

    I went to the store today to pick out a watermelon. I did everything you said and I got the perfect watermelon. It is so delicious! So thank you!

  • @rvalens2
    @rvalens2 Рік тому +18

    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. 😩

    • @peeshrow4681
      @peeshrow4681 Рік тому +3

      The squeeze technique absolutely works. I buy the ones that have no give when squeezed.

    • @rvalens2
      @rvalens2 Рік тому +3

      @@peeshrow4681 Yup! 👍🏽👍🏽

  • @888AAH
    @888AAH Рік тому +45

    My Dad was from Mississippi and he always picked the sweetest juiciest watermelons! Great tips!!

  • @tammiecampbell6164
    @tammiecampbell6164 7 місяців тому +128

    I miss the good old days with the family reunions! Never missed out on the watermelon!!! 🤪🍉 Happy watermeloning!

    • @tammyrenee64
      @tammyrenee64 7 місяців тому +5

      Oh wow, remember when me and my cousins were children, every 4th July, we all went to my granny's house for, well sorry don't remember the food that much, that was back in the late 60s, early 70s, but there's 3 things I do remember
      1-playing under granny's weeping Willow tree, we all loved that
      1-my aunt Mona would make homemade ice cream and the ICE cream maker wasn't electric and 3rd, my favorite -them cutting that big water melon, those were the days🫶🙏

    • @fredmartinez9597
      @fredmartinez9597 6 місяців тому +1

      😊​@@tammyrenee64

    • @tammyrenee64
      @tammyrenee64 6 місяців тому +1

      @@fredmartinez9597 I'm having hard time finding a good watermelon in the grocery store, guess I'm gonna take road trip on down 75 south and buy one on side of road, they are always 😊

    • @fredmartinez9597
      @fredmartinez9597 6 місяців тому +1

      @@tammyrenee64 Happy hunting.😇

    • @Oreosachillguy
      @Oreosachillguy 4 місяці тому +1

      I never has a family reunion

  • @bryanspindle4455
    @bryanspindle4455 Рік тому +23

    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.

    • @jeangill1187
      @jeangill1187 7 місяців тому +6

      I grew up in Tennessee and knew Cas Walker. Haven’t heard that name for 60 years. He had a talent show and Dolly Parton was on it

    • @bryanspindle4455
      @bryanspindle4455 7 місяців тому +1

      @@jeangill1187 Yes l remember seeing her on it. There are UA-cam videos of him. He was quite a character.

  • @lexipersephone4880
    @lexipersephone4880 Рік тому +216

    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.

    • @rafon.
      @rafon. Рік тому +30

      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

    • @lexipersephone4880
      @lexipersephone4880 Рік тому +20

      @@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.

    • @lexipersephone4880
      @lexipersephone4880 Рік тому +6

      @@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.

    • @268sjh
      @268sjh Рік тому +14

      So what am I looking for then??

    • @lexipersephone4880
      @lexipersephone4880 Рік тому +24

      @@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.

  • @Desireeluvsu2
    @Desireeluvsu2 7 місяців тому +60

    I swear.. this is the best easiest information.. all these years I've been dreading buying and chopping 😅😅. Bless you 👏 👏 👏

  • @marilyngaeta1362
    @marilyngaeta1362 Рік тому +24

    My mouth is watering just watching him. Can’t wait for watermelon season. Thank you sooo much

  • @marijkeschellenbach2680
    @marijkeschellenbach2680 Рік тому +14

    Still learning new things at 83!!!! Thank you.

  • @StillAProudAmerican-ll2yc
    @StillAProudAmerican-ll2yc Рік тому +119

    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.

    • @catiecurl-un4kg
      @catiecurl-un4kg Рік тому +4

      🍉🍉🍉 mmm yummy. Good on you Christian 👍

    • @tony98discovery
      @tony98discovery Рік тому +6

      You are definitely an experienced housewife or a good farmer.

    • @salemdesigns65
      @salemdesigns65 8 місяців тому +5

      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. 😊

    • @nunyabiz36
      @nunyabiz36 6 місяців тому +1

      Oh boy, with this method, there’ll be multiple clean ups isle watermelon nationwide. Or signs posted “if you drop it, you’re paying for it.” 😂

  • @sheilaingram-schroeder3789
    @sheilaingram-schroeder3789 7 місяців тому +31

    My Daddy showed me two of these things when I was growing up…..no clue whew he learned it from other than experience…..and I’m no 81 turning 82in the fall season❣️ I had a very smart Daddy.and yes, I called him Daddy all my life💗

    • @dwightcurrie8316
      @dwightcurrie8316 7 місяців тому +3

      Yep, Daddy was always "Daddy" in our house....Still is all these many Decades later.

    • @wendybutler1681
      @wendybutler1681 5 місяців тому +2

      My daddy was Pop. Or Pops. He was a daddy, too. Hadn't a clue what to do with us once we became young ladies but he was the best little girl daddy there was. We went to hiim to get our boo-boos kissed and bandaged. I was youngest and had some pretty gnarly goo-boos. Only once did I beg for more help than I thought he could give. i had stepped on a hot coal that was on the ground in the dark. The blister covered half my little foot. Next morning he drove me down the block to Doc's house so my friend Suzy's daddy could assure me my daddy had done the right thing. He had, of course. He eventually cut holes in two dry sponges, taped them together to be thicker than my blister and taped it to my foot so I could walk. Didn't want that big blister to break. My sisters took me everywhere in my old stroller. Luckily it was still in the basement. I made sure my wounded foot was showing because I felt a bit like an idiot being such a big girl of 5 being pushed in a stroller like a baby. Six decades ago. Where did that memory come from?

    • @PandaHead602
      @PandaHead602 4 місяці тому

      Oh ya ya inbetween ur age have no damn clue

  • @loisdavis4269
    @loisdavis4269 6 місяців тому +6

    My son-in-law Alfie was the produce man for many years, and he did say look for the yellow mark and for the belly button to be brown, but most of all look for the bird pecks because birds will peck on the sweetest watermelons and that’s what I look for and I always come out with the best always thank you Alfie for being the best produce man most of your life

    • @Ray-w6g
      @Ray-w6g 5 місяців тому +1

      Lmao what did he do with the other part of his life..come on Alfie was that all u were good for

  • @laurierobertson3504
    @laurierobertson3504 Рік тому +65

    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.

    • @User-nb2uv
      @User-nb2uv Рік тому +6

      wash with mild soapy water and let rest for an hour in cold icy water bowl.

    • @melstark7265
      @melstark7265 Рік тому

      So many people got sick and several died from salmonella on the outside rind. The knife was the carrier of the germ

    • @catiecurl-un4kg
      @catiecurl-un4kg Рік тому +4

      Good to know

    • @blake_lively_matters6553
      @blake_lively_matters6553 Рік тому +5

      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.

    • @jayempress4203
      @jayempress4203 Рік тому

      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.

  • @abyssinia3609
    @abyssinia3609 Рік тому +81

    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 👍👌😋

    • @SUN7SHINE25
      @SUN7SHINE25 Рік тому +4

      Me tooooo learnt😊

    • @lindadevivo1790
      @lindadevivo1790 Рік тому +2

      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.

    • @SanGeet0510
      @SanGeet0510 Рік тому +2

      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.

    • @GlenMACWilliam
      @GlenMACWilliam Рік тому +9

      Wasteful way to cut.

    • @silviaserna5651
      @silviaserna5651 7 місяців тому

      Learned

  • @bunnyviperaquatics2108
    @bunnyviperaquatics2108 Рік тому +190

    The sunspot (yellow spot) shows that the melon was left on the ground longer to ripen naturally.❤

    • @davidgraham2673
      @davidgraham2673 Рік тому +15

      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.

    • @bluesky7288
      @bluesky7288 Рік тому +8

      THANKS. I was wondering about that

    • @robertlosasso4222
      @robertlosasso4222 Рік тому +18

      It silmply means that it is the part that was on the ground when it was growing.

    • @mr.stonerUDX714
      @mr.stonerUDX714 Рік тому +3

      very very true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • @davidgraham2673
      @davidgraham2673 Рік тому +4

      @@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?

  • @gatesfamily3470
    @gatesfamily3470 7 місяців тому +45

    My absolute favorite!
    Thanks for the tips. 😊
    Happy watermeloning!!!

  • @savygovender355
    @savygovender355 Рік тому +1

    Thank you for your advice in choosing watermelon

  • @pameladangelo9571
    @pameladangelo9571 Рік тому +5

    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.

  • @jamesmiller4184
    @jamesmiller4184 6 місяців тому +7

    NOTE! All those pieces discarded -- save and put them through a juicer. The rind and green outside are FULL of great stuff for us. In this way we can have THE WHOLE of the watermelon.
    Great advice, those three!
    Thanks a bunch! 🙂

  • @qtypie7283
    @qtypie7283 Рік тому +24

    Seeing this video brings back memories of my grandmother loving these watermelons, so sweet like taste of sweet honey but in a melon.❤

  • @Jcarolinajr
    @Jcarolinajr Рік тому +1

    Happy Watermeloning to you too! Thanks for your info and insight 😅

  • @AIML2065
    @AIML2065 Рік тому +1

    You are soooo good. Thank you. I am picking and cutting watermelon for years but your method is the BEST !!

    • @FoodChainTV
      @FoodChainTV  Рік тому +1

      I appreciate your kind words. Thanks for watching!

  • @goldwalker6099
    @goldwalker6099 2 роки тому +40

    Have you ever tried a sprinkle of Himalayan salt on it? Brings out the sweetness even more! Great vid. TY!

    • @FoodChainTV
      @FoodChainTV  Рік тому +4

      Yes, my wife loves watermelon with salt on it.

    • @Desman228
      @Desman228 Рік тому +5

      Not healthy with salt, take the nutrients away

    • @hana.the.writer5074
      @hana.the.writer5074 Рік тому +2

      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. 😁🍉

    • @julietsteyn1112
      @julietsteyn1112 Рік тому +2

      Thanks for sharing.

    • @endthisnonsense7202
      @endthisnonsense7202 Рік тому +1

      That's what salt does, the same with apples and load of other fruit. Don't waste money on "Himalayan" though, salt is salt, it's just slightly bigger crystals coming out of the plant.

  • @goldengirl478
    @goldengirl478 Рік тому +5

    Grew up in Bakersfield where the best melons grow. I use all the methods he gave and I prefer seeds because they are sweeter. Also melons need a lot of hot sun to ripen to sweetness so melons from Mexico, imperial and San Joaquin valleys are the best!

    • @FoodChainTV
      @FoodChainTV  Рік тому +1

      I don't have any problem with seeded melons either. I just chew up the seeds.

  • @kathleenardrey5094
    @kathleenardrey5094 Рік тому +10

    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!

  • @reasoningtruth
    @reasoningtruth Рік тому +5

    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!

  • @patg.7192
    @patg.7192 4 місяці тому

    I love watermelon and cantalope. Thank for the tips for buying the best and freshest, and the easiest way to cut them!!

  • @juliec4750
    @juliec4750 Рік тому +18

    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!

    • @renesonse5794
      @renesonse5794 Рік тому +3

      You should feel a slight vibration when you tap it rather than just a thud.

  • @sabaiwin1449
    @sabaiwin1449 Рік тому +5

    Thank you for showing us how to select the right one and cutting in cubes neatly.
    God bless you.🙏

  • @Prospermiinow
    @Prospermiinow Рік тому +21

    Thank you. Thank you. Thank you .
    The clearest explanation I have ever heard.
    Peace, Joy, and Perfect-Health to you and yours.

    • @soilmanted
      @soilmanted Рік тому

      @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.

  • @stevedeleon8775
    @stevedeleon8775 Рік тому +3

    Thank you Chris I knew about the Yellow Spot & Thump Test ..I didn't know about the Brown Belly Button..😅

    • @FoodChainTV
      @FoodChainTV  Рік тому +1

      Also, make sure when you press on them, they're very firm. And heavy.

  • @donaldsavage3699
    @donaldsavage3699 7 місяців тому +32

    👍 Thank you Mr watermelon Man, I learned a whole lot about how to pick a healthy watermelon🍉

  • @Joqg2tf-2843
    @Joqg2tf-2843 Рік тому +104

    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.

    • @bostonteaparty3926
      @bostonteaparty3926 Рік тому +8

      Yep! Seen many of these!

    • @abeautifuldayful
      @abeautifuldayful Рік тому +2

      Yes, but I can't imagine a soft exterior could give you that hollow sound. I'm curious now to test that. Thx.

    • @catiecurl-un4kg
      @catiecurl-un4kg Рік тому +2

      Good to know

    • @denisecurtis8749
      @denisecurtis8749 Рік тому +2

      Wow, John!-- Thanks for that tip! Because I have had mushy watermelon and it's the worst!😝

    • @laurieoestreicher9444
      @laurieoestreicher9444 Рік тому +4

      Needed this yesterday, bought a watermelon 🍉 and it was horrible 😣

  • @LGAussie
    @LGAussie Рік тому +15

    The sound of the texture as u cut also let’s u know it’s a good watermelon! 👏👏

    • @Beprepared1-y4i
      @Beprepared1-y4i Рік тому

      😂😂😂😂😂 true

    • @AKHWJ3ST
      @AKHWJ3ST Рік тому

      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.

    • @Todd_Kobell
      @Todd_Kobell Рік тому

      @@AKHWJ3ST or you just suck at picking watermelons

  • @michaelfox8619
    @michaelfox8619 2 роки тому +137

    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.

  • @fredthehead4603
    @fredthehead4603 Рік тому +7

    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.

  • @jamescarlson6723
    @jamescarlson6723 Рік тому +1

    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.

  • @fatelvistcb
    @fatelvistcb Рік тому +9

    If cutting a whole melon is too much, before taking the rind off, cut it in half. Cover the cut side w/plastic wrap. Place the wrapped half cut side up in 2 plastic grocery bags and tie the open end. This can be refrigerated for a few days until you're ready to cut more. Make sure the bags don't have holes - cleaning sticky watermelon juice in the fridge is a pain.

    • @dianepace7376
      @dianepace7376 Рік тому +1

      I use an unused pedal bin liner and then place the melon half in a large bowl just in case there is any leakage.

  • @FloridaGirl-
    @FloridaGirl- Рік тому +11

    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!!)

  • @dianejohanson98
    @dianejohanson98 Рік тому +6

    I have never picked a good watermelon yet! So I quit buying them. Maybe now I can pick a good one! Thank you!

  • @sandrashafer333
    @sandrashafer333 7 місяців тому +3

    This is a game changer for this summer '24'. Wow I never knew the 3 step rules. Thank you so much!!
    I'm one my way to the nearest store to try it

  • @DougCeleste
    @DougCeleste 7 місяців тому +1

    Nice video and thanks for sharing! GREAT tips! I like the seedless melons the best but read that they are not the sweetest of melons. Is that really true?

  • @gordonmorrow
    @gordonmorrow Рік тому +13

    Excellent video. I learned a lot about selecting and preparing watermelons (which we love!). Well done.

  • @RajeshAllem8256
    @RajeshAllem8256 Рік тому +6

    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.

  • @valerieladeda
    @valerieladeda Рік тому +252

    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 😊

    • @nonmihiseddeo4181
      @nonmihiseddeo4181 Рік тому +25

      I have an aunt, who agrees with you. She salts all fruit, but I think it's gross.

    • @bigcease2274
      @bigcease2274 Рік тому +21

      ​@@nonmihiseddeo4181 Salt and lime is the way to go! Yum!

    • @kathmann7402
      @kathmann7402 Рік тому +24

      I grew up in Michigan, we always salted watermelon and apples! Yum!

    • @presone2077
      @presone2077 Рік тому +12

      Yes bit of salt ...

    • @damirzanne
      @damirzanne Рік тому +19

      hell no , disgusting 😂

  • @tonyv8925
    @tonyv8925 Рік тому +1

    When I thump them I use the knuckle on my index finger...gives a nice sound. If the watermelon sounds like a shaken 2 liter soda bottle, I know it is too "green". Also, when I thump, if it sounds like thumping a pillow, that is obviously not a good watermelon. Thanks for sharing this video.

  • @peterdolan-green1017
    @peterdolan-green1017 6 місяців тому

    Thank goodness I've always believed we're never too old to learn something new if we leave ourselves open to it. Thanks to this video, I think I figured out what I've been doing wrong for about 50 years. I knew about the yellow spot and the thumping to hear a more hollow sound and have done that every single time with very mixed results. I had never heard about checking the "belly button" but it makes total sense. So I figure those I did pick that wound up being juicy & sweet were just luck being on my side. From now on I'm going to try all 3 and see if my luck changes from "pure luck" to "educated choice". 🙂

  • @user-vm5ud4xw6n
    @user-vm5ud4xw6n Рік тому +6

    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!

  • @AKHWJ3ST
    @AKHWJ3ST Рік тому +14

    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!

    • @lolacookie453
      @lolacookie453 7 днів тому

      Thanks I need to do that bc I’ve been choosing spoiled ones recently 😢

  • @patmcm2312
    @patmcm2312 Рік тому +51

    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.

    • @robertlosasso4222
      @robertlosasso4222 Рік тому +3

      Never heard of it . Never saw any of what you say in 78 years on earth .

    • @mr.stonerUDX714
      @mr.stonerUDX714 Рік тому

      lolololololol sounds like you are describing your head that has NO BRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • @tamarakramer8721
      @tamarakramer8721 Рік тому +3

      Thanks for the tips. Only knew out of three. I’ll pass this along.

  • @sprintcritic8639
    @sprintcritic8639 4 місяці тому

    Thanks for your method of choosing watermelons. I’ll try it. As a child, my father told me to knock on watermelons, and if they sound hollow they’ll be sweet, juicy and ripe. I recently purchased a watermelon, but before the purchase, I knocked on a few watermelons, and I purchased the watermelon that sounded the most hollow and voila! The watermelon tastes delicious. 🍉 👍🏽 🇺🇸

  • @annehersey9895
    @annehersey9895 6 місяців тому +5

    I grew up in the 50’s with my dad thumping just about every watermelon 🍉 until he got the perfect one-and he always did! He may have known your other two tricks too. Whatever he did they were always delicious! Of course back then watermelons without seeds were nothing but a dream!

  • @hana.the.writer5074
    @hana.the.writer5074 Рік тому +22

    I learned how to pick up the sweetest pineapple by tugging a leaf in the center of the crown. If it came out easily, it is too ripe, if it failed to pull out, it was picked too soon.. the perfect one is the one you pull with a bit of strength but succeed in pulling it out. I guarantee you get the sweetest juice from that pineapple like candy it tastes and smells.

  • @dougsmith1259
    @dougsmith1259 Рік тому +6

    You're absolutely right that you want to look for a good yellow spot. But just an FYI, that spot isn't a "sun spot." It's where the watermelon was in contact with the ground. IOW, the yellow spot is an indicator that it was fully-grow and ripened in the field before being picked.

  • @TheRhythmOfLife1972
    @TheRhythmOfLife1972 Рік тому +27

    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.

  • @sandys.1891
    @sandys.1891 Рік тому +1

    I took your advice and picked two perfect watermelons. I knew about the yellow spot and the dull thud but the brown belly button was the missing link. TY

  • @leticiahernandez4857
    @leticiahernandez4857 Рік тому +6

    Thank you so much I have been trying to look for the perfect watermelon 🍉 and now I know what to look for. God bless

  • @lindatt10
    @lindatt10 Рік тому +5

    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! 😂

  • @melissaimoudrg_70
    @melissaimoudrg_70 Рік тому +3

    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!!!!

  • @bgibson135
    @bgibson135 7 місяців тому +1

    I like the idea about the brown belly button and the hollow sound when "thumping". It's been a long while since I was out in a watermelon "patch," but I think the discolored (yellow) area is where the melon was resting on the ground so I'm not sure the spot is any indicator for a "good" melon. I've also found that if I have some Equal or Splenda, the original sweetness of the melon doesn't matter. I will always say, "That's the sweetest melon I've had in a long time;-)

  • @linobraganza8161
    @linobraganza8161 Рік тому +1

    Thanks🙏 buddy for good information. May God bless you

  • @gretadsouza6558
    @gretadsouza6558 Рік тому +41

    Well explained. Thank you. Now no mistakes while buying watermelons

  • @letibugg3523
    @letibugg3523 Рік тому +5

    I knew that, however you explained it best. I look for watermelons with black seeds. Thank You❣️👍🏽

  • @teatonaz
    @teatonaz Рік тому +132

    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. !!

    • @somebodysomething3451
      @somebodysomething3451 Рік тому +3

      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??

    • @wopalongcassidy
      @wopalongcassidy Рік тому +1

      Bee stings...what you are saying is dead on !

    • @somebodysomething3451
      @somebodysomething3451 Рік тому +1

      @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..

    • @Cbtrainnut
      @Cbtrainnut Рік тому +1

      I use this along with the brown end and yellow spot.

    • @PinkieJoJo
      @PinkieJoJo Рік тому +1

      That yellow spot isn’t always the best indicator either. Sometimes if it is too pronounced the melon is overly ripe.

  • @ms.v3307
    @ms.v3307 Рік тому +1

    Thanks for the info. I am leaving out now to purchase one! 😂

  • @intri8116
    @intri8116 6 місяців тому

    idk how this ended up on my feed as a 29 yr old who hasn't watched cooking UA-cam in quite a while, but OMG GLAD IT DID. I love watermelon and every time always got an underripe one no matter what I did, and then trying to cut it up was always a nightmare. Now I know what to look for and how to cut it efficiently. Thank you!

  • @RobFlinn
    @RobFlinn Рік тому +66

    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.

    • @FoodChainTV
      @FoodChainTV  Рік тому +9

      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.

    • @ritahall602
      @ritahall602 Рік тому +3

      ​@@FoodChainTV0:52 0:52

    • @riprapter6322
      @riprapter6322 Рік тому +1

      Melons that are not uniform or size. Sometimes they favor bowling pens.

    • @macycharmin
      @macycharmin Рік тому +4

      Never knew that, thanks for the tip!

    • @andrewsanchez629
      @andrewsanchez629 Рік тому +4

      I've seen elongated watermelons before that were larger on one end but never knew why. Thanks for sharing this vid and the comments. 👍

  • @dgood3265
    @dgood3265 Рік тому +6

    WELL DONE! Thank you for explaining this process. I've always wondered how to pick the best watermelon!

  • @Kathy-ie9lt
    @Kathy-ie9lt Рік тому +10

    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.

  • @queeneywarren9474
    @queeneywarren9474 Рік тому +1

    I love the way you cut this I will be doing this way from now looks so easy thank you

  • @faitht3643
    @faitht3643 7 місяців тому

    Thanks for the three quick easy tips. I've read articles about how to identify a good watermelon that mentioned how far apart the stripes should be spaced, etc. Your tips are easier to remember. A produce guy at Whole Foods told me the general rule that round watermelons are sweeter and the oval watermelons are juicier.

  • @CherylDavis321
    @CherylDavis321 Рік тому +37

    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!!!!

    • @Divataster
      @Divataster Рік тому

      Cheryl let me put your lovely ass in fresh lemonade braids and maternity Prada pajamas 👣👣🛐😘

  • @SandraAnnEvans
    @SandraAnnEvans Рік тому +5

    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!

  • @Anne-qj6xo
    @Anne-qj6xo Рік тому +27

    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!

    • @niahoward1920
      @niahoward1920 Рік тому +2

      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?

    • @Anne-qj6xo
      @Anne-qj6xo Рік тому +2

      @@niahoward1920 Never heard that one, but it sounds good. LOL. There is still an element of luck too.

    • @blake_lively_matters6553
      @blake_lively_matters6553 Рік тому +4

      @@niahoward1920 - No. Bees do not sting unless they feel threatened. When was the last time you saw a melon threaten a bee?

    • @TheOriginalMarimoChan
      @TheOriginalMarimoChan Рік тому +1

      @@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?

    • @blake_lively_matters6553
      @blake_lively_matters6553 Рік тому +1

      @@TheOriginalMarimoChan - No, they are not, but they know that there's no apostrophe in its.

  • @tracyboone3197
    @tracyboone3197 Рік тому

    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!!!😀

  • @dianabaskin1944
    @dianabaskin1944 Рік тому +1

    Thanks. I had heard about the hollow sound but didn't know about the others. Good information.

  • @loncho5079
    @loncho5079 Рік тому +11

    When you knock on it, it to have a "Solid" sound! (like a barrel that is completely "Full" of water) NOT a "Hollow" sound. When you knock on an over ripe watermelon it will be mushy inside with "air" in it, so it will make "Hollow" sound! (Like a barrel that's half empty) And what he calls the "sun spot", is actually the opposite, the "yellow spot" is where the watermelon sat on the ground, and it's yellow because that spot had never seen the sun. I've never paid attention the the "belly button", I only go by the sound, and I have NEVER failed to pick a ripe watermelon that is sweet & juicy! Here's a tip, fruits that have a lot of starch, such as, Apples and Bananas will become sweeter days after they're picked, because the starch becomes sugar as they're left to ripen. However, Watermelons have very little starch, so they will NOT become any sweeter days later. A Watermelon will never be sweeter that the day it was cut, so eat them sooner, rather than later!

  • @JB6802
    @JB6802 Рік тому +4

    I always look for netting, which usually indicates a sweet melon. Some people reject melons with brown netting spots, but I find those are the best.

    • @JB6802
      @JB6802 Рік тому +1

      @@nicholasneely219 Yes, that's exactly what I mean! It's usually in patches on the melon, and it looks bad but the melons are always sweet.

  • @6AxisSage
    @6AxisSage 2 роки тому +16

    Great video! Packed full of useful information. Now i have an excuse to go buy one and try out my new watermelon knife!

  • @seanshad
    @seanshad 6 місяців тому +2

    Great video. Just to say Watermelon rind is so nutritious . Thanks

  • @Jennaladue
    @Jennaladue 6 місяців тому +2

    Thank you! I have wondered how to do this for decades.

  • @melissatran338
    @melissatran338 2 роки тому +8

    Thank you. You made it easy to follow and remember than other videos that mentions veins and straw test, etc... :)

  • @userwsyz
    @userwsyz Рік тому +10

    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.

  • @djcsound
    @djcsound Рік тому +7

    Great video and just in time for the summer watermelon season, thank you Christian for the kool content. ♥ God Bless †

  • @l.palmer6747
    @l.palmer6747 6 місяців тому

    Okay now I really want to thank you. Watched this yesterday morning. Later went to store and picked a GREAT melon. Cut it as you showed. Got more actual fruit to eat than ever before. Wonderful and yums.

  • @Troy-v69
    @Troy-v69 7 місяців тому +1

    I'm from West Texas , we grow graet watermelons in sandy soil we choose the way you do

  • @deanna.radiant
    @deanna.radiant Рік тому +30

    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!!! 🍉🌻💛

  • @cherylcarnes4207
    @cherylcarnes4207 Рік тому +63

    The best way I think to pick a watermelon is to look for the spots where the bees bite it. It looks like they tried to peel the skin off of the watermelon. The bees like the sweet ripe ones, so they will bite the best ones. It always works for me.

    • @carolblaquiere3864
      @carolblaquiere3864 Рік тому +17

      I've never seen that in my life.

    • @johnstorton
      @johnstorton Рік тому +5

      That's what I do. I'm going to try these methods along with it.

    • @conniemiller5125
      @conniemiller5125 Рік тому +4

      We prefer seedless watermelons 🍉

    • @janicejacome
      @janicejacome Рік тому +2

      ​@@conniemiller5125 My stomach definitely does! 😊

    • @cityofoaks
      @cityofoaks Рік тому +15

      Yeo, I had a watermelon farmer (retired) tell me that in Costco one day. He said the things to look for were wide stripes, the field spot (the yellow, creamy spot where the melon laid in the field), and bug bites. He said that bugs know which melons are good. His method has not failed me in 10 years or so.

  • @dwanehoughtaling419
    @dwanehoughtaling419 Рік тому +1

    This was the first of your videos I watched. Success. Using your method, I got a very good watermelon. On top of that, I cut the melon as you did in this video. The result was a lot more melon cut in more consistent shapes. Thank you.

  • @dianebannister4591
    @dianebannister4591 7 місяців тому +1

    This video was very helpful because I didn't know how to pick a good watermelon. And I love watermelons. I avoided picking with yellow spots because I thought there was something wrong like rotting. I'm glad to know how to pick a good one now.

  • @bonnienorris8562
    @bonnienorris8562 Рік тому +4

    What about cantaloupes? I have not had a good one for about 3 years now. Love your help on the watermelons. I knew about the sound and the yellow on the bottom but didn’t know about the belly button. Thanks and ❤ fromTX

    • @EJay00
      @EJay00 Рік тому +6

      If you can smell the cantaloupe it is normally very sweet. It works for me.

    • @salemdesigns65
      @salemdesigns65 8 місяців тому +1

      Sniff close at the stem end. If you don't smell cantaloupe...it's not ripe. Find another one.

  • @Hajj1718
    @Hajj1718 6 місяців тому +4

    I've recently discovered that fresh lemon or lime juice squeezed over watermelon makes it taste like watermelon lemonade or watermelon limeade! My life has now taken on a whole new meaning. 😊

    • @czgator9000
      @czgator9000 5 місяців тому

      Also if you sprinkle a little salt on it it tastes sweeter.

    • @Hajj1718
      @Hajj1718 5 місяців тому +1

      @@czgator9000 I keep hearing that. I guess I'll give it a try at some point. Thanks.