Cooking Tips #2: How to Cut a Watermelon in 5 Minutes

I LOVE watermelon. It’s also one of the fruits Big Sis actually LIKES, so I buy it a lot. But I only like eating it in neat little cubes because I just don’t like the thought (or feeling) of watermelon juice all over my face and dripping down my elbows from eating it on-the-rind. I really dislike the idea of my kids eating it that way. So here’s a quick and easy way to Cut a Watermelon in 5 Minutes!

I came up with this way of cutting watermelon many many years ago out of sheer laziness – because I also dislike spending too much time cutting it and cleaning up after it. Prior to that, I honestly didn’t buy them very often because I never felt like messing with ’em, but now I buy them with abandon, because they’re so easy to cut and eat. haha! Now, I know I can’t be the only one who does it this way, but I’ve seen lots and lots of “How to cut watermelon” posts this summer and not a single one did it this way, so I thought it was high time to share.

So, without further ado…

How to Cut a Whole Watermelon in 5 Minutes!
* I timed it and it even included the “dump the rinds in the trash” AND a quick wipe of the counter top afterwards! Not too shabby!

I think the picture says it all, but just in case it doesn’t, here’s the step-by-step:

1. Buy a whole watermelon. Don’t forget to give it a good rinse before cutting into it!
2. Slice it in half one way. Either way.
3. Slice it in half again. The other way. You have equalish 4 quarters now! (Or leave the other half uncut if you want to save it for later.)
4. Take 1 watermelon quarter, a large knife and starting from one end, slice downwards or vertically, working your way across, going from left to right or right to left, you’re choice. Be sure not to cut all the way through the rind!!
5. Do the same thing but cutting laterally, this time, starting from the top and working your way down. Once again, be sure not to cut all the way through the rind.
6. Next, from the top face of the watermelon quarter, slice it downwards, starting from the front face of the watermelon to the rump. Be sure not to cut all the way through the rind!
7. Run your knife along the white rind edge, from the top face of the watermelon, going as deep as you can, but don’t cut through the rind and certainly don’t cut yourself!
8. Do the same with the other face of the watermelon.
9. Now dump it into your bowl or storage container of choice. Use a spoon to loosen any pieces that are still stuck to the rind.
10. Repeat with other 3 quarters or simply store them uncut in the fridge for later use if you don’t want to cut it up all at once. It will certainly keep longer this way in the fridge than cut up.