“Most striped melons should have a bright, buttery yellow color, and dark green watermelons a deep yellow color. Light green melons develop a light yellow coloration. As a general rule, if the ground spot has a cream-like, off-white color, the watermelon is not ripe.”
How do you know 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.
What color is a good melon?
If it is ripe, the color should be a creamy, almost butter-like yellow. The bigger the yellow belly and the creamier the color means the more time the melon spent ripening on the vine. However, if the spot is smaller or looks more white than yellow, then the melon may not be as ripe.
How can you tell a cantaloupe or a melon is ripe?
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.
What color is a ripe honeydew melon?
creamy yellow
Ripe honeydew melons are characterized by a creamy yellow rind, light green, juicy flesh, and a slightly soft blossom end. Honeydews are picked while they are still firm which is characterized by a whiter rind color with slight green tinge and a hard blossom end.
Will melon ripen after 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.
Is a ripe watermelon dark or light green?
The ideal, perfectly ripe watermelon should be dark green in colour and dull looking. If it’s shiny, it’s not ripe yet. Another important thing to look for the field spot. This will be a yellow splotch on the underside of a watermelon.
What color should a ripe watermelon be?
yellow color
“Ripe watermelons normally develop a yellow color on the ‘ground spot’ when ripe,” Upham said.
How can you tell if honeydew is ripe?
Find the blossom end, which is opposite the end where it was attached to the vine. Give it a press with your thumb and it should feel slightly springy with a slight give. If it’s rock hard, it’s underripe, and if it’s total mush, it’s definitely past its prime.
What should a ripe cantaloupe look like?
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.
Will a cantaloupe ripen in the refrigerator?
Will a cantaloupe ripen if it is in the refrigerator overnight? No, it will not ripen once it is in the refrigerator.
Will a cantaloupe ripen on the counter?
Unlike other fruits, cantaloupes will not ripen once picked from the vine. At the grocery store, then, what you see is what you get: The fruit will not ripen very much once left on the counter at home, so it’s important to pick a good cantaloupe.
Which is better cantaloupe or honeydew?
In vitamin A, Cantaloupe wins again with 68% DV compared to 1% DV in honeydew. Both are based on a 3.5 ounce serving. If it is beta carotene you are wanting, cantaloupe is the melon you want.
What color is cantaloupe?
orange-coral
Fragrant and sweet as candy when ripe, cantaloupes have a rough, web-like skin and a dense, orange-coral-colored flesh.
Will a honeydew melon ripen on the counter?
The difference is that a mature honeydew will begin to ripen if left to do its thing on your kitchen counter, whereas an immature one will never turn into the soft, luscious, juicy, tender fruit we all know and love.
Can you ripen a melon in the microwave?
Exposing unripe fruit to ripe fruit increases the unripe fruit’s exposure to ethylene gas to speed up the process. Combining ethylene gas with the heat from a microwave helps kickstart the process.
How long does it take for a melon to ripen?
about 80-100 days
A few other tips to keep in mind about melons
Most melons require about 80-100 days from planting to harvest. If you are within that range, begin checking for the above signs that your melons are ripe. Find your sweet spot. Once melons are cut from the vine, they don’t continue to ripen or increase their sugar content.
Is it OK to eat unripe cantaloupe?
If your cantaloupe isn’t ripe yet (read the section above if you’re not sure), put it on the counter or in a fruit bowl until it ripens. Eating it unripe isn’t unsafe, but its quality won’t be that great.
How do you make honeydew ripen faster?
Jane Brody in The Good Food Book tells us that after picking melons don’t get sweeter, only softer and juicier. She recommends that you ripen them faster in a perforated paper bag. When ripe, refrigerate. Cut melons should be wrapped in plastic to contain the odor.
What do you do with a cut unripe melon?
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. Grilling the melon with a touch of salt to bring out its sweetness, from AniQuadros.
What color watermelon is the healthiest?
Maintain eye health
For those of you who want to keep your eyesight healthy, getting the benefits of yellow watermelon is the best choice because of its high vitamin A and beta-carotene content.
Lorraine Wade is all about natural food. She loves to cook and bake, and she’s always experimenting with new recipes. Her friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of her culinary skills! Lorraine also enjoys hiking and exploring nature. She’s a friendly person who loves to chat with others, and she’s always looking for ways to help out in her community.