How To Cut A Melon—The Smart Way
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Who doesn’t love a sweet, juicy melon in the summer? You just can’t beat ripe cantaloupe or honeydew when they are in high season. And, no, you do not need to buy pre-cut melon to avoid slicing off a finger! There are many ways to cut a melon, but I find this method, albeit a bit different, to be the safest and most efficient.
Table of Contents
How To Select A Melon
Before we get to the how-to, a few words on selecting a melon. Many people think picking a ripe melon at the supermarket is a game of chance. That’s somewhat true but there are a few guidelines to ensure you’re choosing a good melon on more than a leap of faith. First, avoid any melons that have bruising or soft spots. In terms of weight, choose a fruit that feels heavy for its size. And, finally, use your nose — when you apply gentle pressure to the stem end, it should yield a bit and give off a slightly sweet scent.
Step-By-Step Instructions
First, get out a large, sharp knife (a serrated edge works well) and a clean cutting board. Wash the melon well, then cut a thin slice off of each end of the melon to create two flat surfaces.
Once you have two flat surfaces, place the end with the larger surface area on the cutting board and start removing the rind by running your knife down the side of the melon in wide strips until all of the rind has been cut away. Be careful not to cut away too much of the edible flesh when removing the rind.
With that same flat surface on the cutting board, cut down through the center of the melon to create two halves.
This will expose the seeds inside the melon.
Use a spoon to remove the seeds from the melon. Apply just enough pressure to remove the seeds without digging too far down into the flesh.
Flip both melon halves over so the flat sides are facedown on the cutting board. Then you can dice the fruit. Start by cutting a number of parallel slices heading in one direction on the melon. I usually make somewhere between 9 to 12 slices depending upon the size of the melon. Apply gentle pressure to the melon with your hand to keep the sliced pieces together and rotate the melon. Cut slices in the other direction to create chunks.
Enjoy the cantalope in smoothies, as part of a fruit platter or fruit salad, or wrapped with prosciutto as a fun and easy app!
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This is a great idea to add kitchen tips on your website, love it! On the melon, I usually run the whole melon under running water before I begin to cut off the rind. This helps prevent your knife from tracking anything nasty on rind outside into the melon as you cut into it.
Do I wash with soap?
Hi Dorothy, no soap necessary; just hold the melon under running water and rub with your hands or a produce brush.
Having read you information, it is very informative. I believe you missed a step.
WASH THE MELON WELL BEFORE CUTTING.
Thx Lorraine – fixed!
I use a drop of bleach in my wash solution. Google: Posey Melon Outbreak, Indiana
Fellow put manure on his field of cantaloupe. Poisioned many people, killed a few also
As an MD I advise that nothing should be eaten, cut into, or opened that hasn’t been washed with detergent (I keep a sponge soaking in a yogurt carton of water that has a tablespoonful of dish detergent added to it; just grab and use). Water cannot wash off oily residue, including that from hands or from pesticides. You (I hope) wash your hands before eating, don’t you? Do you think that all who handled your fruit, veggies, or cans had just washed their hands immediately beforehand? (It’s now known that many infections in hospitals come from hands that look clean but have been contaminated. That’s the reason for the huge new emphasis on washing your hands before and after visiting a patient.)
I need a watermelon tutorial as well
coming soon!
Looking forward to mwatermelon lesson. Please also advise on how to pick a good one and whether seeded or seeedless tastes better
How to cut a melon? Ha. Who doesn’t know how to cut a melon? Has our dear Jenn lost her mind?
Nope. Because, apparently, I’ve been cutting melons wrong all these years!
Thank you, Jenn. I promise to never doubt you again!
69 years old and learned something! Great idea. Thanks
Your tips are very helpful. Keep them coming Jen.
Hi Jen,
This is the kind of information that I’d love to get from you. Techniques that make the kitchen safe and efficient. I have never regretted subscribing and receiving your emails. There are always beautiful photos (taken by you!) and the recipes are fail-proof. I love everything about your site. The care you put into the work you do is very apparent. Thank you!
Thanks for the “how to”. Surprisingly I have been doing things the way you suggest! I have always gotten strange looks when I sniff my melons but it works.
Thanks Jen for the melon cutting lesson.
Here’s another fruit that is difficult
to cut — a mango. I gave up and
bought frozen mangoes. Great
smoothies.
@GenCerefice: To cut a mango easily, use the edge of a drinking glass to get the skin off. First you cut the fruit along its pit. Then you use the edge of a glass to separate the fruit from the peel. You simply place the rim where the skin meets the fruit, and push the mango down the side of the glass. The mango AND its juice will fall into the glass and you can then cut it up.
Cannot visualize this. Need photo!
I too cannot visualize cutting up a mango using the glass method,I eat mangoes a lot and would love to see a photo op.
Thank you Jen in anticipation
Jim.
Coming soon, Jim!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these little tutorials you do! I think your kitchen “hacks” are the best…wasn’t there one for cleaning a red pepper somewhere? (I can’t find it again 🙁
Thank you for not just providing wonderful recipes with great pictures and instructions, but these shortcuts too!
Thanks, Mary. I haven’t done one for red pepper yet but I’ll add it to my list :).
Sit in the front row and watch how Gallagher does it.