Learn to cut a cantaloupe effortlessly to form slices, wedges, cubes and globes. Now you can have this sweet melon with a lovely orange-fleshed flavour for a quick snack for an appetizer or a healthy dessert by practising these simple knife techniques.
A few pieces of refreshing, sweet cantaloupe are a great snack in the warm summer months. When you have picked a mature fruit, it’s time to chop it into pieces and relish the sweet orange flesh within. The easiest option is to buy a cut-off pack at the local grocery store. However, you never know what freshness it’s. Also, cutting off the whole melon will give you more excellent value for money.
Which is the most suitable cantaloupe
The first step is, to begin with a ripe, good cantaloupe. It is essential to avoid any spots on the outside or squishy spots. When the fruit is mature, the fruit will show a little elasticity as you place your fingers against the surface. This allows you to remove and slice a cantaloupe.
Most of the time, I will be forced to accept an in-between cantaloupe, and I will let it sit for several days on my counter until I feel it’s right. A ripe cantaloupe is more flavorful and is much simpler to cut and peel.
Be sure to clean your cantaloupe thoroughly to remove dust or pesticides. An agro-fruit wash can be utilized if you want. I like my Young Living fruit and veggie wash!
HOW TO PICK A GOOD MELON
Like much other fruit, pick one that is heavy considering its dimensions. The mature melon should have the pleasant but not overwhelming aroma of cantaloupe. The lines of grey – also known as netting- need to be raised. Don’t eat melons with noticeable weak spots. The stem should appear as smooth as possible.
HOW TO CUT A MELON
Begin by placing the melon flat on a cutting board. Take a quarter inch of the bottom and top of the fruit with a sharp knife.
Set the melon upright onto one of the sides that have been cut.
You are starting at the top and tracing the contours of the melon. Take care to remove the rind using the knife. You should cut 14 inches in depth.
Peel the melon as you go and remove up to 3 inches off the outer rind. Make use of the rind’s green colour as a reference.
Be sure to cut deeply enough to reveal only the flesh.
Cut the melon into half.
MELON CUTS
You can now cut your melons into the desired shapes and dimensions. Below are my top three methods of cutting melons.
Wedges: Put the melons upside down and create wide slices along the curve of the melon in the reverse direction from the bottom and top slices you removed.
Slices: Make sure to turn them upside down and make thin slices that run the same way as those of the bottom and top slices you cut.
Bite-sized cubes: Follow the instructions for cutting the melon in wedges. After that, cut each wedge into bite-sized pieces.
How do you pick a good cantaloupe, and when to tell if it’s ready
If you’re planning to visit the supermarket to buy an ice-cold cantaloupe, there are some essential guidelines for the most effective choice. Peltzer suggests beginning by checking the blossom part of the cantaloupe. It’s the opposite of the stem. (If you’re struggling to tell which ends are different, The blossom end is the appearance of a light circle. However, the stem ends will display green.) If the flower’s end appears soft to the surface and shows a slight crack, this is an excellent indicator of ripeness.
The next step is the colour. “A mature cantaloupe’s color may be anything from light cream to a hint of green”, according to Peltzer.
As registered dietetics and food blogger Elysia Cartlidge suggests, the rim should also be round with raised and ridged webbing along the edges and adequate firmness. Finally, take a sniff test. If the fruit has a pleasant, fruity scent, then you’ll know it’s mature.
Choose A Good Cantaloupe
If you choose to cut your fruit, select the best one. There are several points to be aware of when selecting a melon at the market or farmers’ market.
If you pick a food item, avoid the ones with bruises or soft spots. The cantaloupe should be firm everywhere yet not so hard that it is a rock.
As a cantaloupe matures its rind, it lightens to become a gold or tan hue. If the rind appears green under the raised surface at the top, the fruit could need additional time to fully ripen.
Pick a fruit that is big and heavy.
Also, utilize your sense of scent. As you gently push at the top of the melon, it will let go a little and release a slightly floral and sweet scent. If the smell is fermented, the cantaloupe may be already ripe.
Other Methods For Cutting Cantaloupe
Leave the rind of your cantaloupe in case you wish to bring a portable snack for a picnic or gathering. Just skip step 4, and do not remove the peel. Slice your wedges, then keep them in the refrigerator.
Make use of a melon baller when you’re looking for bite-sized balls that make salads more appealing, drinks or even skewers. Cut your cantaloupe into two halves and remove the seeds; you can use a melons baller to scoop the small spheres.
How can I store cut and sliced cantaloupe?
According to Peltzer’s research, Cantaloupes that aren’t cut can remain in the refrigerator for a week. After a cantaloupe is cut, it is recommended to put the pieces or wedges wrapped in plastic wrap inside an airtight container or reusable zip-top bag. Cantaloupe is a great fruit to prepare in advance to make a dish, and leftovers can be kept to enjoy in the future. Cantaloupe cut into pieces can last 3-4 weeks if appropriately stored in the refrigerator.
Cubes, or chunks, of cut cantaloupe, may be frozen for up to 6 months. The pieces can be flash-frozen cantaloupe by placing them on a baking pan before placing them in the freezer for 3 hours. Afterwards, you can transfer the pieces or cubes into the freezer in an airtight bag. “You can freeze cantaloupe to make smoothies, soups and other drinks because it has more of a chewy texture after being frozen,” adds Cartlidge.
RECIPES WITH MELONS
- Summer Fruit Salad
- Grilled Fruit Kabobs
- Fruit Ice Cubes
- Honeydew Smoothie
- Honeydew Mint Popsicles
- Mint and Melon Salad
- Summer Tomato and Cantaloupe Salad
- Honey Lime Grilled Cantaloupe
- Cantaloupe Sorbet
- Burrata Salad along with Tomato and Melon
- Sweet and Spicy Melon Salad
Insider’s advice for the insider
Cantaloupe can be described as a juicier and delicious melon with numerous ways to use it. Its versatility permits cutting it into slices or wedges for an easy snack as well as cut into pieces or cubes to be used in other ways, like putting it into salads or wrapping it in prosciutto to make a delicious appetizer. Selecting a fresh and ripe cantaloupe and cutting it at the peak of maturity for the most flavour and consistency is essential.