Watermelon is a delicious fruit, but what does watermelon taste like? The answer to the question may vary depending on the kind of watermelon you eat, how long it has been sitting, and of course, your tastes.
A good watermelon has a sweet and juicy flavor with a crisp texture that is so refreshing. After cutting the watermelon rind, a freshly cut grass aroma hits your nose. If the watermelon lacks these two tests, then the probability is that it is not ripe enough or spoilt.
But how do you distinguish a bad watermelon from a good one? This article will explain how a good watermelon tastes, how to spot a bad watermelon fruit, and so much more. So read on to get enlightened.
What does watermelon taste like?
There are different kinds of watermelons, and each of them has its distinct flavor. Many people only imagine one kind of watermelon(red) whenever they think of the taste of the fruit. Well, the red watermelon fruit availability contributes to that, but there are black, white, and yellow watermelons that don’t come into the picture quickly.
Red watermelons
Red watermelons are pretty famous, and you will find them everywhere; in grocery stores, supermarkets, name it! Its exterior color is a light to dark green with a glossy appearance. The flesh of this watermelon is red and features a sweet and fruity taste.
Yellow watermelons
Closely related to the red watermelon, this yellow watermelon also has an exterior light to a dark shade of green. You can only differentiate it from the red watermelon by cutting it. The yellow watermelon pulp is canary yellow. This yellow variety is the sweetest watermelon though it is pretty rare. Those who have tasted it describe it as having hints of honey in it.
Black watermelon
Black watermelons come in two; the black diamond watermelon and the black beauty watermelon.
Black diamond watermelon
This watermelon looks different from the red watermelons we are used to. Black diamond’s rind color, as you would guess, is dark green to black. It has this subtle taste that is diluted by the high water content in the fruit. It still features a sweet, crisp texture that is PERFCT for making juice.
Black beauty watermelon
These watermelons are like the black diamond variety, only that they feature a more oblong shape. The skin color is greenish-black and some striping that’s perceptible. The flavor of this watermelon is delightful and juicy, with the crispiness we love in watermelons.
White watermelons
White watermelons, just like the yellow ones, are quite rare to find. They feature a thin rind with a round-oval shape with blunt ends. Its rind is pale green and relatively thin and prone to cracking. White watermelons have a neutral taste, crisp and juicy.
What does a bad watermelon taste like
You never want to bite into a spoilt watermelon. It is yucky, and you can save yourself from that by first smelling it. A bad watermelon emits a fermented smell.
This fruit does not last long. If it is uncut, it can go for up to 10 days at room temperature, up to 3 weeks if stored in the refrigerator, and 12 months in the freezer.
It would be best to eat cut watermelon within the day it’s cut or store it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days and 10-12 months in the freezer. The taste is sour and funky, something you wouldn’t want to bite into.
What does watermelon taste like
A watermelon’s smell is sweet, fresh, fruity with hints of grassy aroma. Once cut, several chemicals are generated by the enzymatic oxidation of fatty acids. The grassy aroma it emits is contributed by the cis-3-hexenal chemical present in grass and the fruit’s rind.
How can you tell if a watermelon is bad?
Purchasing a watermelon fruit only to find out later that it is spoilt is frustrating. You can avoid this if you understand what to look out for in a fresh watermelon. So, here is how to tell if a watermelon is bad.
i. Appearance
Exterior
A watermelon color should have a pine green shade that’s either stripped or not. If there’s any other color other than that, then it is better tossing it away. Also, a fresh watermelon should look healthy and be firm. Any white, green, black, fuzzy, or mold spots on the rind or squishiness indicate spoilage.
Interior
The color of a fresh red watermelon should be deep pinkish or clear red. If it has turned to any other color, it shouldn’t be eaten to prevent food poisoning. Note that some watermelon varieties, however, have naturally yellow or orange colors.
ii. Texture
Usually, the texture of a fresh watermelon should be crispy. If it has turned dry, mushy, gritty, or slimy, then that’s a bad one.
iii. Smell
A sour vinegar-like smell on the watermelon indicates that the melon is bad.
iv. Hollow center
A hollow center on the watermelon is another sign that it contains growth hormones that might cause poisoning.
v. Check on nitrates’ presence.
A watermelon with yellow rind or pulp with white stripes is high in nitrates. You can confirm the presence of nitrates by mashing a piece of the watermelon then adding it to a glass of water. A healthy fresh fruit will become turbid, while a spoilt one will turn the water red.
vi. Expiration date
Always check the expiration date of watermelons before purchasing them so that you don’t get into unwanted surprises upon getting to your house.
How do you make watermelon taste sweeter?
We all have different tastes. Some people find watermelon taste not so sweet. Others might have made the mistake of purchasing that which has no taste at all. Either way, there are some ways you can add some sweetness to the watermelon.
- Make jelly by simmering the watermelon until it becomes thick and clear, then add some sweetener and enjoy the new flavor.
- If you enjoy eating watermelon rind, cut the rind and add it into a sugar syrup, then simmer until it turns thick. You can also add cinnamon to boost the flavor, then allow it to cool and enjoy.
- Sprinkling some salt onto the watermelon also enhances the flavor considerably. This gives the watermelon a salty-sweet flavor.
- Pickling is another method to enhance watermelon flavor according to your taste preference. The most common pickling ingredients used are sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, and your own choice of spices. Cut the watermelon into slices/cubes, add to mason jars, boil the ingredients, and pour them over the watermelon. The last step should be sealing the jars and storing them. You can enjoy the watermelon later.
Related:
Frequently asked questions(FAQS)
Does a watermelon taste like cucumber?
Watermelon and cucumber share the same family- gourd. The taste and smell of a cucumber resemble that of a watermelon. People have reported that sprinkling cucumber with sugar gives it a watermelon taste.
Why does watermelon have a weird taste?
If your watermelon has a weird taste, it only means you left it to sit for too long, or it is spoilt.
Can you eat soft watermelon?
A cut watermelon deteriorates rapidly due to exposure to air. Some possible reasons your watermelon is soft are:
Disease
The gummy stem blight disease in watermelons makes soft circular patches on the watermelon. These patches are 4-6inches in diameter, and they can be controlled by applying fungicides.
Over-ripeness
An overripe watermelon tends to be soft and mushy. Tap the watermelon lightly with your thump to determine the ripeness. If it produces a hollow sound, its ripe, a muffled, and dull sound indicate over-ripeness.
Sun and heat
Watermelon develops sunburns if exposed to sunlight for long. Temperatures exceeding 90 degrees also cause flesh breakdown. The watermelons should be stored in shades and under ideal temperatures of 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bruises
Roughly handled watermelons get bruised during transportation. This promotes soft spots on it that deteriorate it. Stacking the fruits by their blossom end should be avoided since it makes the fruit more susceptible to bruising.
So avoid eating soft watermelons. You wouldn’t want to suffer food poisoning after consuming one with a fungal disease infection.
Is mushy watermelon safe to eat?
A mushy watermelon only means that the fruit is not fresh. If the fruit generally looks unhealthy and has a weird smell, discard it.
Conclusion
Now we have answered the question of what a watermelon tastes like. Most watermelon varieties have almost the same taste, sweet, juicy flavor with fruity hints. What makes this fruit stand out is how refreshing it is. It is also an excellent substitute for water since it is loaded with lots of it.
