unriped watermelon?

[Daddeln]

Hello,

I have a question about watermelon. The last one I bought had more like lightpink flesh than the usual powerful red. Aswell the white part was more leathery than it usually is and most important; it tasted less and not as fresh as it usually to do! Unfortunatly I bought a very huge one this time and now I just hope to finish it as soon as possible so I can buy another, more delicious, one. My question is could this be because its unriped or is it rather overriped? And if so, is it less in nutrients? Anyone who knows?

[jaurequi]

Hi, Daddeln :),

It sounds like it's not ripe. It's probably not best to eat unripened fruit. I've become more sensitive to this, myself. However, it just depends on how your body may take it. Watermelon, unripe, may cause diarrhea or stomach cramps.

On the other hand, some watermelons may appear unripe, but when you taste it, it's fine. Taste it. You will have to determine this on your own.
If it has brown tinges on the white parts (inner rind), then it's old and may have been picked too soon; so best to not eat it. If it's sour, it's obviously best to get rid of it as well.

When I get a watermelon that is ripe, but just not good (not sweet), I will use it in a smoothie as the water.

So just give it a taste.

Best,

[ChaiLife]

And aren't ripe watermelons heavenly?

Here is my way to choose a ripe melon (it has worked every single time so far) that I discovered by trial and error:
place one hand on the melon and with the other hand open give it a pat (like you would on someone's bottom) and feel for vibrations. It will be kind of like a water balloon when you tap it. You should feel that there is water inside and the vibrations from that water when your patted it. Feel a few different ones this way and you will feel a difference. The melon should also be very heavy for it's size.

It's so hard to describe this over the computer. It's more of a hands on thing. They even have a different sound. My mom lives two hours away and she actually calls me on her cell phone when she's at the grocery store so I can hear her tap the melons. She just holds the phone up to the melon and pats it and I tell her which one to get. So far it has worked perfectly. And it starts many conversations. :D

Hope your next one is wonderful! The last one I got was even sweeter than my cherimoya! It was like eating sugar. :p

[Daddeln]

Thanks for the tips!

I just love watermelon when its fresh and red flesh and I eat it everyday for breakfast but with this one Im not longing for it because its so tasteless and, it may sound natural, watery. The bad thing about it is that this one will last for a week or more because its soo big and cost me a fortune (a small one).

I will try your metod next time Chailife. It seems like a funny one.

[EastCoastie]

ChaiLife,

Can I call you too so you can help me pick out a watermelon...I don't usually do very well!

:) EC

[Rawkinlocs]

Maybe you can make that watermelon sorbet I saw posted somewhere here OR, juice it OR if you have a dehydrator, toss it into the blender with a little agave, spread it out on teflex and make watermelon fruit leather (might need to strain some of the liquid off a little...I've never done this, just an idea)

[ChaiLife]

EastCoastie,
Sure you can call me, hon. WOuld probably be the one time I failed. LOL ;)

Man, all this talk about watermelon makes me want some!

be sure to try the Watermelon Lemonade. Pure heaven.

Can't remember where the recipe came from but it's:
1 1/2 pounds watermelon
3/4 lemon juice
1/2 c honey

Blend watermelon in blender until smooth. Mix lemon juice and honey together and then stir into watermelon juice. Serve over ice. Oh man! You just can't beat this for refreshing! :p

[Daddeln]

They sounds like lovely recipes!

Unfortunatly at the moment Im in a bit of a healingprocess were its recommended to avoid certain things (alot) and kind of monoeating most things to not mess things up. Its a bit hard at the moment for there are alot of recipes I would love to try but patience is the key in this matter.

[exurb]

Another tip for picking ripe melons is to press in the ends (the stem end and "blossom end"). They should "give" or press in a little. If when you press they stay in and don't come back out it's overripe, if they don't press in or don't give to your finger pressure, they are unripe.

Daddeln, unfortunately there are also types of watermelon that are bred to last long in shipping, to grow faster, to grow a bigger weight and be more profitable, rather than to taste the best. Maybe yours is ripe but just a bland melon to begin with.

I can't stand to see food go to waste, so I'd be getting out the recipes. I couldn't find the recipe but I once made a watermelon granita (= sorbet pretty much), that might sweeten it up and give it some flavour (you could just freeze it for now and make the sorbet later if you want). Also Samuel Wilson who used to hang around here had a recipe for watermelon gazpacho I think, maybe that would spice it up.

In general the more deep colour the melon has, the more of certain antioxidants it has. But there's still lots of other good stuff in there even if it's pale.

[Daddeln]

I did it again!!

Again I bought an unriped watermelon, I couldnt figure out how to use those metods in finding a riped one and this one really tastes awful! What should I do? Im thinking about throwing it away in the garbage or is there a chance for it to ripen after beeing opened? Any ideas?
Why can't just every watermelon taste like it should, fresh, sweet and heavenly! I never want to do this mistake again!

[suemt]

It might be a little more expensive, but I often buy watermelon already cut so you can see what it looks like inside. But I am certainly going to try the "sounding" method! I have a good ear for that kind of thing once I know what I'm looking (listening?) for.

Sue

[Daddeln]

Ok, I though about doing that. But, maybe I have got it wrong, I've read thats its recommended to as much as possible buy fruits and such in its whole. I don't really know why though.

[RawFoodieMom]

Daddeln,

Instead of throwing it out, if you can't use it, I would return it. You can return things, even produce, to the grocery store if it's no good. If it's obviously not ripe and it shows, they should give you your money back. There's no reason why they should take our money for something we can't even eat.

Try a different grocery store. I'm frustrated with one of the ones close to me too. It's amazing to me how the more expensive grocery store has moldy produce (actual white mold I find at least half of the times I go in there) and the cheaper grocery store doesn't.

Debra

[Daddeln]

Your right, I really should!
I though maybe they didnt have any responsiblity for these cases but why shouldnt they! It was quite expensive aswell.

[Daddeln]

Thanks for the advice, Debra!

[RawFoodieMom]

You're welcome. If you return it let us know how it goes. :) I got lucky with my watermelon. I bought one a couple of days ago. It looks okay on the outside. Then I read this thread and got worried about what it would be like when I cut it open, but my daughter and I cut it open this morning and it was nice and red inside. I wish they would stop making the seedless ones all the time though. What was wrong with the black seeds? The black seeds are easier to spit out then the silly little white ones. ;) Why do they always have to mess with nature? Why can't they leave well-enough alone? Ah well, that's a whoooole other topic isn't it? LOL!

Debra

[Daddeln]

I got my money back atleast.

No I think it falls under the same topic. I have been wondering that aswell actually. The strange thing is that of the three watermelons I have bought this year (it wasnt available before) only the first one was red and sweet and it also had black seeds and I really loved it. But the latest two was unriped and had no black seeds only white ones. Could there be a connection? Sooo irritating!

[RawFoodieMom]

It is quite frustrating. With other things it's easier. Like avocado, you can tell if it's hard or if it gives when you press it. Before I cut my watermelon I tried the suggestions made earlier and I couldn't tell that any particular sounds or watery noises at all, yet it has nice flesh. So I'm not sure how to tell in the future when I'm trying to pick one but I'm going to keep trying. By sound, by if there's any give at the ends of the watermelon, etc. I'm going to print out the suggestions. I think the more you feel them out, you might be able to tell a difference after a while. With canteloupe and honeydew I find you can go by scent. But watermelon I can't seem to get the hang of yet but I've only bought the one lately. But they're on sale so I'm going back for more since this one was a good one. :)

[apasionato]

Thank you to those of you who posted tips for finding a nice ripe watermelon! I love them soooo much! and, get really upset when I get home with a big one and I find it is not ripe!

I then return it....had no problems...happened a couple of times...I also returned one that was overripe (mushy)...

My husband and I live on watermelons in the summertime...they are very healthy for the immune system...this year I am trying it blended with the rind to see how it tastes (read it in a guy's juicing book)...if it doesn't taste good, I will just go back to eating the flesh...

The watermelons that are pale with no seeds or the small white seeds are hybrid or GMO watermelons...I always buy the organic non-GMO watermelons cause I know then I am buying the old fashioned type...

[Daddeln]

That is a good choice indeed but unfortunatly I havent seen any organic ones here yet.

[Daddeln]

Well, I ask this question in this thread aswell.

Does anyone knows how long a melon can be stored uncut without getting unfresh and bad? I have bought a couple and thought it was best to know so I don't keep them too long.