This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
Have you ever wondered how to cut a watermelon correctly? Slicing this giant fruit can seem intimidating, but there’s an easy way to complete the task when you follow these steps.
There was a time during my early years as a mother when I feared the mighty watermelon. Really, it was bad. A watermelon is really a culinary wonder, with so much juicy fruit coming from just one melon, but slicing and chopping a watermelon can be an intimidating task. It’s one of those things that no one teaches you how to do, and you’re just supposed to somehow know how to cut a watermelon. One time, another family came over to our place, and they brought watermelon for the kids to have as a snack. All I needed to do was cut it up. All I could think was, “Why would you do that to a person? One doesn’t just simply cut up a watermelon and get on with their day as if it’s nothing. It’s an entire event that needs both mental preparation and recovery time!” And the mess! And the danger of slipping with the knife! Traumatic, I tell you.
Clearly, that’s not really the case, but that’s how I felt at the time. Cutting a watermelon properly was one of those things reserved for members of the super secret club of moms who somehow magically just know the things that mothers are supposed to know. And that was not me.
One summer day, all this drama came to a grinding halt when I saw this technique that I’m about to share with you. I think it was on TV somewhere, but I can’t really say because the moment was really just a blur of excitement for me. And now I can’t believe it wasn’t obvious from the beginning. I risked cutting my fingers off for nothing. So here’s how it’s done.
The Right Tools for the Job
Like with almost any task, having the right tools will make a big difference. Luckily, the right tools for this job are things you probably already have in your kitchen. None of us need any more new gadgets filling up our kitchen drawers and cabinets.
You’ll need a large sharp knife like a chef’s knife, a large cutting board, and a tea towel to set under your watermelon. The tea towel will soak up all the juice, prevent your watermelon from slipping around on you, and make clean-up so quick and easy. A paper-towel base to work on will also work in a pinch.
It’s a good idea to sharpen your knife prior to starting a job like this. Sharpening your knife blade will give you the most control possible so that you’re safe from slipping and accidentally cutting yourself. You can find a quick explanation of how to do that here if you aren’t sure what the best way to achieve a sharp blade is: How to Properly Sharpen Kitchen Knives.
If you find that your watermelon is really hard to cut through, you can also try using a serrated knife like a bread knife to slowly saw back and forth and give you a little more control.
A small paring-knife or something similar will also be useful at the end of the cutting process if you plan to remove the outer peel and rind completely from each watermelon slice and chop the melon into cubes to be stored in the fridge or freezer.
The Easy Way to Cut Watermelon
Start out by placing your cleaned watermelon on top of your cutting board layered with a clean tea towel to soak up any extra watermelon juice that might want to run all over your counters or make your cutting board slippery. With a large chef’s knife or serrated knife, gently cut off just the very ends of the melon evenly.
It will look like this:
Place the watermelon on one of the ends. With the ends sliced off, you now have a flat, stable surface to work on. If your cuts are a little imperfect during these first few steps, that’s totally fine. Cut the melon in half lengthwise, making two equal halves.
Slice those down the middle as well, creating 4 quarters. Ah, math!
Cutting a Watermelon: Final Steps
You’re now about 30 seconds into this endeavor, and you’re almost done!
Use those quarters to make beautiful, perfectly sized watermelon slices to set out on a platter. These are always swiped by the kids as soon as they see them and are a great way to keep busy kids (or anyone) hydrated on a hot day when they’re running around in the sun.
OR
Take a smaller knife, remove the watermelon rind and cut it all up into lovely bite-sized chunks. This is the perfect method to use for easy snacking and for any type of fruit-salad uses, whether you go traditional and pair it with mango, strawberry slices, and orange, or go for a fancy gourmet watermelon salad with feta and mint for your next summer potluck.
If you’ve been in the dark about this ever-so-handy and necessary summertime skill, now you know!
Welcome to the club. 🙂
What to bring to your next barbecue or cookout: 3-Ingredient Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.