We’re in the sultriest stretch of summer, complete with dramatic pop-up storms, late-night thunder rumbles, and sweltering temperatures. And you know what that means? Peak watermelon season. Produce departments and farmers’ markets are flooded with inspectors rolling fruit over in search of a yellow field spot or tapping the rind to gauge its acoustics, all in search of the perfect watermelon.
You may have seen a slightly unhinged method for picking the sweetest watermelon making the rounds on social media. Read on for the watermelon trick that’s set the internet abuzz and why it works.
The Watermelon Trick You Need To Try
There’s no need to bang watermelons like a drum in the middle of the supermarket anymore—examining the rear end of a watermelon, specifically the dried brown mark at its center, is a much easier way to determine the fruit’s ripeness and sweetness.
So, what exactly are you looking for? A smaller round mark opposite the stem, preferably one that looks a little dried out and clenched. The tighter the circle, the sweeter the watermelon.
How Does It Work?
Take a look at a watermelon that’s still on the vine or watch a time-lapse video of a growing melon, and you’ll notice a yellow flower on the end opposite the stem. These are the plant’s female flowers, which “birth” the fruit. By the time a watermelon gets to you, of course, those flowers are long gone, but the mark they leave behind can still tell you a lot about their fruit child!
The smaller a watermelon’s mark, the more time it spent on the vine—that means watermelons with smaller marks had more time to ripen and develop their sugars on the vine. Melons with larger marks, however, were probably cut off the vine a little too early, and unlike other fruits, watermelons don’t continue to ripen once they’re picked.
While sweetness is key, make sure your melon also has an uniform shape without any major dents or soft spots before adding it to your cart.
Once you’ve picked out your super-sweet watermelon, take it home and enjoy the fruits of your (uh, or the plant’s) labor. Chop it up for a fruit salad, blend it into a refreshing drink, or top it with this cult-favorite seasoning blend and lime juice.