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The melon should be firm but not too soft or too hard. Smell the melon at the stem core (where it was cut) and it should have a good cantaloupe smell; those without smell are under-ripe, and those with unpleasing odor are over-ripe.
How can you tell if a cantaloupe is good and ripe?
A ripe cantaloupe should have a beige webbing pattern. That netting should look like raised ridges. And underneath, the cantaloupe should either be cream-colored, sandy gold, yellow, or tan. If the rind is still green or grey, it’s not ripe enough.
How do you pick a good melon all the time?
It should feel heavy for its size and have a mild, sweet aroma. Pass on any with bruises or soft spots. If you happen to find small, dry, brown lines in little patches on the rind, that’s a good sign of sweetness, showing where sugar has slowly seeped out of the fruit.
What happens if you pick a cantaloupe too soon?
If you harvest too soon, you’ll be left with a hard, tasteless, or bitter melon, as the sugars haven’t had sufficient time to develop and fully sweeten. And once they’re picked, they won’t continue to ripen. However, if you harvest your cantaloupe too late, you’ll be stuck with fruit that is soft, watery, and mushy.
How do you pick out good cantaloupe?
The melon should be firm but not too soft or too hard. Smell the melon at the stem core (where it was cut) and it should have a good cantaloupe smell; those without smell are under-ripe, and those with unpleasing odor are over-ripe.
How can you tell if a melon is good?
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.
How do you pick honeydew and cantaloupe?
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. Avoid melons with an underlying green or white color.
Can cantaloupe ripen after picked?
Some, like watermelon, do not continue to ripen once harvested. However, cantaloupe and similar fruit will continue to ripen after harvest. Once into the ripening process, fruit will gain sugar, flavor will improve and flesh soften.
What can I do with under ripe cantaloupe?
Uses for an Unripe Cantaloupe Turning it into a soup — with mangos, or a white gazpacho with grapes and almonds. Making a melon jam or chutney. Using it as a thick base for a smoothie, or blending it with lime juice and honey for cantaloupe agua fresca.
Can you pick cantaloupe before ripe?
Before Picking. Ideally, the best thing to do is to pick the cantaloupe after it has been ripened. This way, you will get the maximum amount of flavor and juice from the fruit itself. However, most people don’t know how to identify the difference between a good cantaloupe and an unripe one.
Should cantaloupe be refrigerated?
Keep whole melons like watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew on the counter for best flavor. USDA research found that storage at room temp may even help keep the antioxidants better intact. Once cut, store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Should you wash cantaloupe before cutting?
Wash your cantaloupe: By scrubbing the exterior of the fruit with antibacterial soap, you can remove harmful bacteria from the rind before you cut into it. Washing the rind is a simple step, but it can make all the difference. This means that cantaloupe grows bacteria easily and can spoil when left at room temperature.
Can you ripen cantaloupe in the microwave?
Place the piece of unripe fruit in the microwave. Heat it on medium power for 15 seconds.
How do you sweeten an unripe cantaloupe?
Sometimes the cantaloupe is not as sweet as you may want it, but this can be fixed. Put the cantaloupe pieces into a airtight container. Sprinkle sugar or sugar substitute onto the cantaloupe. Toss the cantaloupe gently with the sugar until it has been evenly distributed.
How long does it take for cantaloupe to ripen?
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 can you tell if honeydew is bad?
The first way to tell if a honeydew melon has gone bad is to look at the color and appearance. According to Pantry Tips, the honeydew will turn from its usual bright green shade to a murky dark yellow. The rind itself will feel mushy and soft and will collapse easily at the touch.
How can you tell if a cantaloupe is sweet?
A ripe cantaloupe should have an overall sweet smell, but I get the absolute best melon by putting my nose close to the blossom end (the end opposite the stem). It should smell sweet and slightly musky. If it doesn’t smell good, I don’t buy it.
How do you pick a good golden honeydew melon?
Push your fingers on the round section where the vine was attached (this is often referred to as the “blossom end”). The ripe honeydew should be slightly soft and springy, and it should smell fresh and faintly sweet. You should also feel fine ridges in the skin, whereas less ripe melons will have smoother skin.
How do you pick a sweet honeydew melon?
Honeydew Don’t pick a green honeydew; pick a white or yellow one. Feel the outside of the smooth rind. The blossom end (opposite of the stem) should give a bit when light pressure is applied. The whole melon should have a strong, sweet smell.
How do you pick a sweet melon?
It should have a deep hollow sound, which means the melon is ripe and juicy. Give it a Sniff. Though watermelon does not give off a scent when uncut, ripe honeydew melon or cantaloupe gives off a faintly sweet aroma. Press lightly on the softer underside of the melon, right where the stem was, and give it a deep sniff.
Will a honeydew ripen after picking?
Mature honeydew melons will continue to ripen for several days at room temperature after they are picked. Immature melons will not ripen after being harvested from the vine. Honeydew is one of the few melons that can continue to ripen once picked.
