Do you ever wonder how on earth these melons are able to grow so big and red? It’s because they have the sweetest, creamiest honeydew inside. The flesh of this melon is rich and creamy, with a subtle sweetness that will have you coming back for more. When buying honeydews, look for ones that are entirely free of bruises, cracks, or cuts. If possible, try to find ones that are green rather than yellowing from excess bruising. The best way to cut a honeydew melon? (Pic credit: Yanich) If you’re in the market for a summer squash that delivers on every level, check out the Honeydew Melon. This summer squash has an extremely mild taste but unprecedented sweetness. Unlike other squashes that can be bitter or overly sweet, the Honeydew Melon has just enough tartness to complement its fountain of taste-bud-pleasing watermelon mess!
How To Cut Honeydew Melons
Get to Know the Fruit
The honeydew melon is a cantaloupe-like summer fruit native to Central and South America. The fruit can be eaten alone or used in various cooking and dessert recipes. The unripe melon is colored light green with soft, white pulp inside. Once ripe, the melon’s yellowish-white skin hardens and becomes almost stone-like in texture. The taste of honeydew melon is sweet, very smooth, and mild in flavor. The University of Florida Cooperative Extension describes honeydew melons as “a great summer fruit” because it is easy to produce, “plenty-tasting”, and an “excellent source of vitamin C”.
Chopped Honeydew Melon
To achieve the sweet taste of the melon, it is easiest to cut it into quarters. Using a sharp knife, slice the melon in half from end to end. If you try to cut it in half lengthwise, you will likely meet a hard, rocky core. The core is actually the seeds, which will come out when you cut the melon in half. Be careful not to cut the seeds inside out as they will be seeds and seeds only! Now that you know how to cut honeydew melons, let’s take a look at how to prepare them!
Remove the Seeds
There are 3 types of seeds in honeydew melon: seeds, seeds with pulp, and flowers. The seeds with pulp are usually the easiest to remove and are just a little sticky. If you leave the seeds in, the melon will likely turn brown and be too tough to eat. If you are looking to save time, a good way to remove the seeds is to place the melon on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to cut it in half lengthwise. Once the melon is cut into quarters, place it in a plastic bag and gently place it in the freezer.
Diced Honeydew Melon
Dicing the melon helps release its sweetness and makes it easier to serve to guests. If you are not serving the melon right away, cover and chill thoroughly to prevent spoiling. Use a sharp knife to cut the melon in half lengthwise, cutting into quarters. Place the pieces in a plastic bag and gently place them in the freezer.
Halved Honeydew Melon
Handed out as a special treat, halved honeydew melons are even more popular than whole ones. To make a halved melon, slice the melon in half lengthwise and then into quarters. Put the pieces in a plastic bag and gently place them in the refrigerator.
Removed from the Vine
Honeydew melons are almost too pretty to pick. But, they are also too good to let go to waste. To make a beautiful honeydew melon dessert, remove the melon from the vine and cut it into halves or thirds. Place them in a glass or plastic bowl and drizzle with honey. Alternatively, you can place the halves or thirds in a casserole dish and cover them with wax paper or foil.
Frozen Cutlet of a Honeydew Melon
This is one of those “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” techniques. Frozen melons are almost always a better choice than fresh ones because they have been defrosted and processed very little. To make a frozen cutlet of honeydew melon, place the melon in the freezer. Once frozen, cut the melon into quarters. If you are not serving the melon right away, cover and chill thoroughly to prevent spoiling.
How To Pick A Honeydew Melon
1. Size
Honeydew melons are available in three sizes: small, medium, and large. Small melons are usually the tiniest ones. Medium melons are typically a good size for eating. The largest honeydew melon can be used to make a delicious juice or syrup.
2. Shape
Honeydew melons come in different shapes and colors, but there is no need to worry about this when buying them because you will remove the skin before eating them. Yellow honeydew melon has yellow-colored rinds and dark green honeydew melons have green rinds. The shape of the rind has no bearing on the taste or quality of a honeydew melon. Honeydew Melon Rind Dressing is a popular recipe for using up leftover honeydew rinds after you have finished picking them from the vines.
3. Flavor and Texture
The flavor of a honeydew depends on its age, ripeness, variety, and location where it was grown in the garden at the time it was harvested. Most varieties of honeydew taste very similar to each other but some varieties can be milder than others while others may be more tart or sweet-tasting than others. Even though most varieties taste very similar to each other, they are all different enough that they should not be mixed together when cooking with them unless you want your dish to taste like watermelon! Honeydews vary greatly in texture from very soft to tough, and some varieties can be starchy like tomatoes.
4. Color
Honeydew melons come in various colors including green, yellow, pink, and orange. The different colors have absolutely no bearing on the taste of the melon!
5. Flavor & Texture
The flavor of honeydew melons is very mild and is not at all like the flavor of watermelon. The flavor is sweet but it isn’t at all sugary sweet like watermelon or cantaloupe. It has a slightly tart or sour taste that is not at all strong or overpowering in any way. If you want to make a sweet dish such as a frozen dessert or ice cream, you should use a honeydew with a milder flavor or one that has been flavored with other fruits such as strawberries or raspberries. For example: If you want to make a frozen dessert with honeydew melon and strawberry puree, you can use either honeydew melon without any other fruit added to it (regular plain honeydew) or you can add strawberries and raspberries to the puree instead of using regular plain honeydews.
What Is The Advantage Of Eating Honeydew Melon?
- Honeydew melon is a very good source of vitamin C.
- It has a very good source of vitamin A.
- It is a very good source of potassium and manganese, and it contains calcium as well as iron and magnesium.
- It is also a great source of fiber, which helps to lower cholesterol and help maintain normal bowel movements.
- Honeydew melons have many other important nutrients such as folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and phosphorus which are all beneficial to the body in one way or another!
What Is The Disadvantage Of Eating Honeydew Melon?
- Honeydew melon is not a low-calorie food. It has about 100 calories per cup and contains 7 grams of fat.
- Honeydew melons can cause your body to produce too much acid in the stomach which can lead to heartburn and indigestion.
- Honeydews are very high in water content, so they tend to be very heavy when eaten raw or eaten out of hand. The high water content can make you feel full very quickly, so you may want to eat less of them than you normally would if eating them as a dessert or as an appetizer!
- Honeydew melons contain traces of toxins such as hydrogen cyanide, which are not harmful at all but are present in small amounts because they are formed naturally during the ripening process and they have no effect on the taste or quality of the fruit at all!
Tips For Buying A Honeydew Melon
- Honeydew melons are a very delicate fruit and are very susceptible to bruising. If you buy one that is already bruised, it will not be as juicy and sweet.
- The color of the honeydew melon should be uniform, especially when it is fresh! If you buy one that is a little darker, it may not taste as sweet or be as juicy.
- Honeydews tend to have smoother skin than other types of melons, so they tend to bruise less easily than other melons such as cantaloupe or watermelon because they are more fragile and softer than the others.
- Honeydews also tend to have more seeds on them than other types of melons such as watermelons do, so it is best to choose ones without seeds if you want a smooth texture instead of having seeds all over your plate!
Conclusion
The sweetest, creamiest honeydew is located inside the honeydew melon. The flesh is rich and creamy, with a subtle sweetness that will have you coming back for more. This article will help you learn how to cut honeydew melons – the easy way!
