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How to Pick Out a Good Melon Check the Weight. You want to choose a melon that feels heavy for its size. Look for Flaws. Some melon-skin flaws are bad—like cracks and bruises. Check for a Field Spot. Smell the Melon. Tap the Melon. Take a Break. Try Again.
How can you tell if a melon is ripe?
As with cantaloupe, color is your first sign of ripeness. The melon’s green rind will take on a creamy yellowish color. If the color is right, gently push on the end of the melon opposite from the stem. If there is a slight give, the melon is probably ripe.
How do you pick out a good melon?
Tips for Picking a Ripe Melon Pay Attention to Size and Weight. Whether it’s large or small, a ripe melon will feel heavy for its size. Check for Defects on the Rind. Turn the melon in your hands and carefully inspect the surface area. Look at the Color. “Knock” on the surface. Give it a Sniff.
How can you tell if a cantaloupe is ripe?
To select a ripe cantaloupe, look for tan cantaloupe with light green lines across it, and avoid choosing melons with brown or soft spots. The melon should be firm but not too soft or too hard.
How do you choose a ripe honeydew melon?
When ripe, the color of the rind should be a creamy yellow rather than green, and the rind will become smooth and waxy rather than dusky. If you press on the bottom of a ripe honeydew (the opposite end from where it’s attached to the vine), it should feel slightly soft or at least a little springy.
Can cantaloupe ripen after you cut it?
Can a cantaloupe ripen after it was cut? Yes. Cantaloupe will ripen after being cut from the vine, but will not increase in sweetness.
Will a honeydew melon ripen after it is cut?
Will a honeydew melon ripen once it’s cut? Nope. Unfortunately, melons don’t ripen after they’re harvested, so what you buy is what you get. But if you slice into a honeydew and it happens to be underripe, don’t despair.
What is the difference between muskmelon and honeydew?
Honeydew melons are different from muskmelons in that the skin is smooth, the flesh is green, and the scent is markedly different. Muskmelons stop ripening after being picked from the vine, but honeydews will continue to ripen a bit, though vine-ripening is best.
How do you pick honeydew and cantaloupe?
Check the skin color. A shiny outside is an indicator of an underripe melon. Also, honeydews should be pale yellow to light lemon in color, not overly green. With melons such as cantaloupe and muskmelons, the rind underneath the net-like texture should be golden or orange in color.
What is the sweetest cantaloupe?
7 Sweetest Cantaloupe Varieties to Grow (& How to Get Seeds) Cantaloupe Variety Brix (sugar %) Days to Maturity Sugar Cube 11-14% 80 days Honey Rock 13.1% 80 to 85 days El Gordo 10-16% 75 to 85 days Hannah’s Choice 12-14% 75 to 85 days.
Do melons ripen after picking?
Do melons ripen after they are picked? Once picked, melons no longer get sweeter or tastier, so it is worth seeking ones out that ripened fully on the vine. As with most fruit, melons are picked before they fully ripen to give them more time and durability for transportation to grocery stores.
Are cantaloupes good for you?
It also packs: 100% of the daily value for vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that protects your cells from damage. All your daily need for vitamin A, which helps keep your eyes, skin, bones, and immune system healthy. About 12% of your recommended daily potassium, important for your heart, muscles, and blood pressure.
How can you tell when a golden honeydew is ripe?
When ripe its skin is firm, thin and smooth. Its flesh is succulent, velvety and sweet. A faint aroma and a slight opening at its blossom end will also indicate ideal ripeness. An overripe melon is soft to the touch and it will develop a bitter flavor in its flesh.
How do you make cantaloupe sweeter?
Watermelons, cantaloupes, and honeydews lean sweet—and that’s why they play so well with salt, vinegar, and cheese. Sweet, ripe, summer melons are better with salt. Salt makes their flavor pop. It contrasts their sweetness and accentuates their refreshing qualities.
How long does cantaloupe take to ripen?
How long does it have to grow? Cantaloupe matures in about 80 to 90 days. Melons are normally ready to harvest when they start turning yellow on the bottom and the stem starts turning brown.
How do you soften a hard cantaloupe?
Place the fruit in a brown paper bag rolled closed at the top to help the melon to ripen faster for eating. Once you’ve already cut the cantaloupe it needs to be refrigerated, which slows any further softening.
Can you eat unripe honeydew melon?
An immature honeydew melon will remain hard, bland, and, frankly, inedible, so it’s vital they are picked once they’ve moved over to maturity. The confusion between mature and immature melons comes about because mature honeydews can still be unripe.
Are honeydew and cantaloupe the same?
Honeydew melon and cantaloupe are two members of the same species, Cucumis melo (1). Yet, though they’re closely related, they’re two distinctive fruits. They’re similarly sweet, but honeydew melon has a smooth, light-colored rind and green flesh, while cantaloupe has a darker, netted rind and orange flesh (1, 2 ).
How do you store honeydew melons?
Honeydew melons should be stored at room temperature when whole to soften and become juicier. If it’s already quite ripe or once cut, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
